As the world becomes more closely connected, large corporations and small businesses alike need employees with international knowledge and cross-cultural skills to help them succeed in their local communities and the global marketplace. By participating in an internship in the USA, you will gain valuable practical experience and international exposure that will enhance your resume while expanding your understanding of the world and yourself. Obtaining an internship or training opportunity is more attainable than you might think!
What Kind of Internship Are You Looking For?
These questions might help you find out what exactly you are looking for. Whether you want to apply to our placement service or start looking for an internship position on your own, you need to narrow down what you want. Before you start, make sure your passport is valid, request a letter or copy of your diploma from your University and do an English test (if necessary).
What is your objective for your internship?
Is it for academic credit? Career development? Cultural experience?
What kind of company are you looking for? Do you prefer big, small, medium sized company? Start up or established company? Consider the differences in experience and how it ties in with your objectives
Can you afford working for a company offering professional growth in an unpaid internship?
What do you want to do? Do you have a specific job role in mind? Do you want to work in a particular industry?
What skills are you hoping to gain? Who do you want to learn from?
Are there specific requirements from your course of study?
How long should your internship be?
What is the earliest you can start and the latest you can finish?
Is there a minimum duration for your desired internship or is it flexible? When is the latest date you can return home?
Where do you want to go? Do you have a specific location or list of locations in mind or are you open? Why this specific location?
Consider the cost of living and how long can you support yourself in the USA. Research the costs online and work out a monthly budget.
Intrax Internship Placement Service
While it is possible to arrange an internship in the USA on your own, it does take time to research companies and find out whom to approach best and get the contact information. You might not have this time available because you are busy preparing for exams or juggling work and university assignments. We have recently started a pilot program for students from Europe. Our internship placement service can help you to find a U.S. host company seeking interns or trainees. Most students decide to go for 3-4 months to be able to afford an unpaid professional internship.
Apply Now for Your J1 Visa
Know enough already? You would like to apply right now for our J1 Visa Service? If you are a student or young professional who has found an internship or training opportunity at a U.S. company, we welcome you to apply with us for a J1 visa.
Your Paperwork: Resume/C.V. and Cover Letter
Many companies offer an online application process with a template to fill and an upload option for your resume and cover letter.
Resume
When looking for an internship in the USA the most important first step is to ensure you have an excellent Resume. A strong and well written resume will give you the best possible chance of being invited to an interview with your chosen Host Company. We have provided a detailed guide on how to write your resume which you will find additional information in a separate attachment. If you contact us, we are also very happy to provide you with samples and templates to help you to perfect your resume.
You should be prepared to provide different resumes for different roles. It is always a good idea to have one template resume which you then adapt to the specific role or company to which you are applying.
Be sure to look at the job specification or company website to know which key words to use and which skills to highlight. Normally your resume should be a single page and very rarely more. In this space, you should focus on the important areas. Do not include information which is not relevant to the position being applied for. Avoid giving personal information such as date of birth or irrelevant information such as hobbies. Ensure your structure is neat and easily readable with consistent fonts and spacing. Taking extra time to carefully structure and edit your resume will help you to stand out from other applicants.
Cover Letter
A good resume should be accompanied by a strong cover letter. This letter should be tailored to every role and company to which you are applying.
You should normally write the Cover Letter directly into the text of the email unless specifically asked to attach it as a PDF.
Try and restrict it to around half a page in length.
This letter should detail your motivation for applying for that particular role and why you would be an ideal candidate for their organization: based on previous work experience or academic background.
Avoid simply repeating what is in your resume. Include some information which shows you have researched the role or company to which you are applying.
Include the information that you will receive the J1 visa through your sponsor Intrax making the internship legit.
Go Straight to the Source: Reaching Out to Companies
A promising tactic for uncovering internship opportunities is to make direct contact with companies that interest you. Not all companies will advertise internship openings on external job sites; some companies will post openings only on their own website, and some may not post internship announcements at all.
If you already know of companies or organizations in the USA that really interest you, try searching their website for available internship openings. If you find a position, submit your resume and cover letter as instructed by the employer. If there are multiple positions for which you'd like to apply, be sure to submit a separate resume and cover letter for each.
Find a host company on Linked in:
Set up an account and keep it up to date
If you don't see a position that fits your qualifications, try to make personal contact with someone in the organization who is responsible for hiring employees (a Human Resources manager, or the manager/director of a particular department in which you'd like to work). You may be able to find individual contact information on the website, or you may need to call the main telephone number and ask to speak to someone. If your English conversation skills are not strong enough to make a telephone call, try sending an inquiry via email instead.
Remember that persistence does pay off. While you should never be aggressive or demanding with a prospective employer, you want to clearly explain your enthusiasm for the company and your desire to work there. Unless otherwise specified, it is always a good idea to follow up emails and resume submissions with a telephone call, and vice versa. And, whenever possible, try to make initial contact with more than one person in the organization to increase your chances of reaching someone who may want to hire you.
Interviewing with an interested Company
Preparing for an interview is crucial to successfully securing your internship. When you have reached the stage of an interview with a company, you have already done many things just right: You have impressed a potential supervisor enough so that he or she wants to get a personal impression of you. Ensure that your professional documents match your demeanor on skype:
Do your research beforehand. Learn about the company and the role and be sure you have plenty to talk about. Make sure you understand the ins and outs of the company, industry, clients, and competitors. Research some information on staff if possible. Show them you are interested and enthusiastic.
Prepare for some of the questions you may expect to be asked and rehearse your answers beforehand. Think about past experiences and your education as they will frequently ask you for examples of things you have done in the past. Make sure to be ready for the typical questions such as, tell us about yourself, what do you think you’ll be able to provide for us, what are you hoping to get out of this internship, and do you enjoy working with people or by yourself. Also make sure you have questions for them, since it shows interest. Good questions to ask are: who will supervise me, what can I expect in a days work, what can I do to prepare for this internship? Questions you should not ask: How much will I be compensated, will there be long term employment opportunities, questions about what to do recreationally.
When interviewing for a position in the USA it will most likely be done via phone or Skype. As this may be a new experience for you it is important you prepare yourself and your environment properly.
Dress appropriately for the interview; even though you may be on the other side of the world it is important to look the part.
Ensure you have a nice quiet environment and that the background is suitable and there are no distractions.
Test your computers Audio and Video and be sure to have your phone available (but switched off) in case you suffer any technical problems. Good luck! We would like to be your J1 visa sponsor once you have received an internship offer!
Apply Now for Your J1 Visa
Finished with reading? Ready to apply? We welcome you to apply with us for a J1 visa.