Seven advices to find a company internship 

Every student is encouraged to complete an internship during his studies: it's a decisive asset for professional insertion. But how to find an appropriate internship that could possibly end on a job offer?  

TARGET YOUR SEARCHES 

Though the internship is about discovering a professional field, you should find the right balance between exploration of new leads and consistency with your studies. Later on, recruiters will notice you both for the diversity and the consistency of your experiences.

The objective of an end-of-studies internship is professional insertion. Don't limit your searches to bigcompanies: SMCs are the main job suppliers in France. Their structure encourages the sense of initiative and allows to access responsibilities faster.

USE YOUR CONTACTS 

To get an internship, cross out no leads. Think by circles:

• in your institution, ask alumni associations, teachers, the department in charge of the internships;
• aggregate sources of information: go to  website such as the CIDJ ("Centre d’information de documentation pour la jeunesse", Centre of information and materials for the young), studyrama-emploi.com, un-stage.com…  and of course the France Alumni directory. Go to forums, information days and other events oriented towards employment for the young.

TAKE SPECIAL CARE TO BUILD YOUR RESUME AND COVER LETTER 

The Resume and cover letter are useful to convince a company that will train you that you can bring something more.

• Be precise: find out how your target company works. Identify everything in your profile that matches the specificities of this company.
• Be concise: the resume and cover letter must not exceed one page each. Choose an organisation by paragraphs for the cover letter and a clear page layout for your resume.
• Be determined: don't hesitate to call by phone. Having a direct contact in a company sometimes allows to be noticed among the crowd of other applicants.