How I pitched my own internship – and how you can, too
When I scored my first internship in the tech industry, I was anything but a typical candidate. I hadn’t majored in computer science. I didn’t know how to code. And I couldn’t tell you the names of every founder-CEO in Silicon Valley. I was a journalist. My interest was in telling inclusive, human-centered stories in the technology field.
I was still trying to find a way to do that when, somehow, I managed to land an internship.
I thought having success as an intern meant keeping my head down and doing my work. But once I started, I couldn’t stop thinking about a bit of advice a professor gave me — meet with two to three people each week to learn more about the industry and how you could fit into it.
I took that to heart, and it changed the course of my career.
Over the course of my 12-week internship, I explored my company’s headquarters to meet with content strategists, user experience (UX) writers and other leaders who shared my love of storytelling. I asked them what brought them to the company and what made them stay. I’d drill down further and ask what made them feel the most connected to their work. After these conversations, I’d ask myself if I could imagine working on their team or in their organization.
Halfway through my internship, I was referred to an employee who was doing exactly what I wanted to do. She was a content and creative strategist telling real stories about the people behind all of the company’s products and services. She could weave worlds with words, something I wanted to do in my future role. I’ll never forget what she told me during our first conversation: "If you can tell stories here,” she said, “you can tell them anywhere."
I was drawn to the challenge of telling authentic stories about how employees are empowered by technology and immediately knew I wanted to be a part of it. There was just one problem — this particular team did not have interns. But I still believed my background in journalism and UX design would bring value to the team. So, instead of searching for an opportunity someplace else — and there was no guarantee I’d find or land one — I ended up pitching an internship role that looked exactly like what I wanted.
And I got it.
Eventually, the internship turned into a full-time writing and video production role — an offshoot of the internship I first pitched.
The lesson I learned is companies will take talent wherever they can find it. If you’re willing to advocate for yourself, you can probably convince your managers to find a role for you that allows you to thrive.
Here’s my best advice for landing the internship of your dreams when it only exists in your mind.
Find a gap — and offer to fill it
Anytime someone says, “Tell me about yourself,” there’s an opportunity to make a strong first impression. Whether you’re messaging a recruiter for the first time or going in for a final interview, be sure to connect your skills to a void you’ve noticed somewhere in the company.
You want to demonstrate to a hiring manager that you’re the one who could fill that gap and tie it to the long-term goals of the team.
Invest in building relationships
Your network is your net worth. Get in the room with your role models and co-workers, and don’t be afraid to ask about what gets them out of bed in the morning. If you’re not already inside an organization, reach out to potential mentors on LinkedIn. You’ll be surprised by how many people are willing to engage with a stranger who is asking for advice.
Find out who inspires them and how they define success — both professionally and personally. By meeting people and asking questions, you’ll get an increasingly clear sense of what work excites you as you carve the pathway to your internship or role. Plus, you can learn from everybody — yes, everybody — so see every conversation as a learning opportunity.
Reach out with intention
If you’re reaching out cold, you’ll likely send dozens of emails or Linkedin DMs before you get a response. Don’t be tempted to just do a quick copy-paste and blast a generic message out to perfect strangers. Personalize your message based on your research about what the company’s current priorities are. It can also help to mention any common ground you may have. Maybe you have a mutual contact. Maybe you went to the same college or are from the same city. Ask about a project launch of theirs that you’ve been following. You want to show you’ve done your research. And — I can’t stress this enough — make the effort to spell people’s names correctly. It’s the first way that we show respect to people that we’re meeting for the first time.
Follow up
Following up is essential. It doesn’t matter if you’re trying to pitch an internship or applying for an existing position. Never forget to remind a hiring manager about your meeting. In addition to thanking them for their time, share again what you talked about and what you offered to do to help the team. It can be a short and simple email, but it will go a long way to keep your name fresh in their mind.
Be a thought leader in your space
If you want to pitch an internship in a specific industry or role, it’s important to show up as a leader in that space. Write articles, make videos or create other types of content that show your interest in and knowledge of the space a company is in. Then share that content on social media or post it on your own website. If you’re pitching an internship, the hiring managers won’t be looking for high-level expertise. They’re looking for interested — and interesting! — people who are eager to learn and be contributing members of a team. So don’t be afraid to show off.
Keep trying!
Pitching yourself can be intimidating, but it’s crucial that you keep putting yourself out there. Your success rate won’t ever approach 100%. As long as you’re doing the work — and it is work — you’re winning.
No matter how many pitches you send out, it only takes one yes — and I hope that yes changes everything for you, as it did for me.
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