A Declassified Internship Recruiting Survival Guide by 2015 Intern, Rachael Creger: Part #3

"Put yourself out there!" 

This may or may not be the best analogy, but recruiting events are like first dates. You’re just meeting each other, asking basic questions, trying to get to know each other, testing the waters. Similarly to first dates, how it goes plays a big difference in whether or not there is a second date. Things may go great and you’ve got that second date in the bag! They may go alright and you might be getting a second chance, I mean date… Or they might decide that they really don’t want to go out on a second date.

Putting yourselves out there at these recruiting events is the first step towards your future. Get out there, shake all the hands you possibly can, make sure the recruiters know you’re interested! For me, it took some trial and error to land my dream internship with an amazing company like Monroe Shine, but if anything I’ve learned a thing or two from the recruiting process these past few years.

• If you don't have a LinkedIn account, get one and make it professional!
• Spend some time working on your resume, and make sure to have your school's career center take a look at it!
• Buy yourself a new tie or blouse, because everyone feels awesome in new clothes. Think of it as investing in your future business professional wardrobe!
• Do some research. The recruiters love it when you have an educated question that is specific to their company and not a generic one!
• Make sure to include when you'll have your 150 credit hours needed to get your CPA license, as well as your accounting class only GPA listed on your resume. Recruiters will ask those questions and it's good to have that info included for their review later.

Remember that these recruiters are meeting hundreds of students at a handful of schools. What makes you different? It’s the tiniest things that make the difference. At the end of the day, a high GPA or extracurricular activities aren’t the final factor between you and the next candidate. They care about who you are as a person. What do you care passionately about? What are your goals and aspirations? Why do you want to work in this field?

And P.S. A handwritten thank you card is rare nowadays, so go buy some nice stationary. Happy Recruiting! Good luck this fall, both in and out of the classroom!
~ Rachael (2015 Spring & Summer Intern)