by Carly Kade

Created on: February 18, 2009

Regardless of their area of study, most college students will apply for at least one internship during their college career. Internships allow college students to experience their future field of work and decide if it is right for them, builds their resume, and in some cases, may actually pay well or count towards college credits. However, the competition for these internships is often very fierce, and even small mistakes on an application can cause an applicant to be overlooked.

The most important aspect of any application is professionalism. Many college students make the mistake of using difficult to read or overly colorful fonts, neglect to use spell check, or include inappropriate information on their applications. This can easily lead to missing out on a job. Always remember to check the spelling and grammar of your application, and if you wish to use a font other than Times New Roman, go with something else that is easy to read and not too fancy. While it is good to stand out, you don't want to irritate anyone by using a fancy but illegible font. It is also very important to watch what you say. It is a good idea to include any organizations you may be involved in, such as the school newspaper or pool league, if you are asked about your hobbies and activities. If you organized or participated in events related to charity or which otherwise show leadership, include these. The exception, however, is sorority and fraternity events. You should never lie on an internship application, but if you are asked to choose examples of leadership events to talk about, avoid mentioning greek events. They will not help with maintaining a professional image.

While this may seem obvious, there are many other stumbling blocks in the application process that may be less obvious. Many employers will ask you to detail your strengths and weaknesses. Listing a few strengths should be easy, but take care when filling out any questions about weakness. You do not want to put anything to make your potential employer think you will be more of a risk than an asset. Never say that you prefer working alone or have difficulty working with a team, that you have trouble with deadlines, or anything else that would be an extreme negative. You also want to avoid trash talking former bosses, coworkers, and jobs- even if your last job truly was terrible, your employer won't know that, and they might not give you the benefit of the doubt. An employer will not want to hire someone who talks poorly

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