Finding an internship in a company is not a formality at the moment.

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  • This is the period when students are looking for a summer internship.

    But the economic and health context complicates the situation.

  • 20

    Minutes

     gives you some tips to optimize your procedures, whether it is to respond to an internship offer or to take care of your spontaneous applications.

The hunt for summer internships is open, but this year, it will be complex.

Because due to the massive teleworking and the economic difficulties experienced by many companies because of the current crisis, the reception of interns is often relegated to the background.

Most higher education establishments are well aware of this;

they have extended the period during which students must complete their internship and provide them with more support in their business research.

For those who would not benefit from these invaluable advice, 20

Minutes

gives you some tips to optimize your procedures.

Should we be content to respond to internship offers or also send spontaneous applications?

" Both !

As with job offers, there is a hidden market for internships that we must try to penetrate.

And competition is stronger when responding to an offer, ”notes Valérie Deflandre, advisor at the Youth Information and Documentation Center (CIDJ).

To search for offers, the government platform 1jeune1solution is a good address.

It currently offers 12,000 offers in all sectors.

"It is also necessary to consult the sites of the press specialized in its sector, those of the federations, those intended for students, that of the Apec ...", she enumerates.

Should we make sure that the company welcomes interns face-to-face before asking for it?

“No, because teleworking is not an obstacle.

Many companies offer all or part of the internship remotely.

They have had time to adapt for a year.

They provide the trainees with a laptop, they participate in video service meetings, make regular updates with their tutor, ”says Romain Giunta, spokesperson for the Monster jobboard.

If the company offers a completely remote internship, the recruiter must be given pledges to reassure him about the young person's ability to be managed as follows: "You can specify on your CV that you know how to master collaborative tools such as Teams, Zoom, Discord, Google Meet… ”, indicates Valérie Deflandre.

“The important thing is to demonstrate your degree of autonomy and your ability to work in a team.

Certainly, a student does not have a lot of professional experience, but if he has never done an internship, he can talk about the responsibilities he had as a volunteer in an association or the role he played in a TD working group, his involvement in a sports team… ”, notes Shéhérazade d'Almeida, professional development consultant at Apec.

Which companies should you send spontaneous applications to?

We must aim broad: “First of all, we must target sectors spared by the health crisis, such as medical, paramedical, e-commerce, logistics, IT…”, suggests Scheherazade d'Almeida.

"And if that doesn't bite, you have to be able to broaden your field of research and apply in sectors which may seem less attractive at first glance, but which offer equally interesting missions", adds Romain Giunta.

Another tip: “Solicit companies where you would ideally want to work once you have become a young graduate.

Because even if it is less obvious at the moment, the internship can be the gateway to a fixed-term contract, ”notes Valérie Deflandre.

Do not hesitate to send your CV to your family and friends, while soliciting the network of alumni of your school.

Professional networks like LinkedIn are also useful: “Hence the importance of updating your profile and sharing information on your area of ​​specialty, which will show the company a good knowledge of the sector.

You can also specify in a post that you are looking for an internship to alert your contacts, ”emphasizes Valérie Deflandre.

To prove your sense of initiative, you can also propose an assignment offer in your cover letter, thus showing that you can save time for an overworked team: “It can be research work on a new segment of customers to explore, the development of the company's social networks, etc., lists Romain Giunta.

If you have no idea of ​​a mission to propose, a quick glance at the old internship offers can inspire ”.

What are the “meatballs” to avoid during the interview?

Most internship interviews are currently carried out by video.

“To check the image you are going to project, you have to practice.

It is not a good idea, for example, to film yourself in front of a wall full of posters or in a messy kitchen.

You should also avoid being with your back to the window, because it is important that the interlocutor sees the candidate's face well and captures the paraverbal language of the candidate, ”emphasizes Valérie Deflandre.

Visio or not, it is also imperative to take care of your outfit: "Small detail: even if you spend your interview remotely, you should avoid jogging pants or pajamas, because if you have to get up to look for a document, will not be the best effect, ”she continues.

A few days after the interview, "do not hesitate to follow up with the recruiter by phone if you have not received an answer", advises Romain Giunta.

The opportunity to show him again how responsive you are!

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