On April 8, NeW at Mercer hosted Alyssa Condrey, Director of Programs for NeW, to discuss “How to Land Your Dream Internship”.
Condrey gave NeW members an insightful step-by-step guide on how to land their dream internship.
She started by emphasizing the importance of researching the organization you want to work for. No matter where you are in the application process, it’s important to make sure you show that you took time to learn about the organization.
Condrey spoke about the importance of using your network to get an introduction to the organization’s intern 
coordinator. Often, having a personal introduction can make a big difference in the hiring process – it’s why organizations like NeW are so important for young women who want to work in the conservative movement.
She continued, sharing about the importance of focusing on polishing the resume and cover letter. This is another time the NeW Network comes in handy! Don’t be afraid to reach out to friends or other young professionals and ask them to proofread your drafts. A second set of eyes is never a bad idea. She also told the women in attendance that attention to detail is important.
Another tip she shared was about the follow up. Condrey recommended allowing a reasonable amount of time after the application has been submitted before checking in.
Finally, by this time you should have a phone interview! It’s important to prepare for the interview, and even more important to make sure to follow up after with a handwritten thank-you note. The personal touch and extra effort go a long way toward getting you your dream internship.
Following this event, NeW at Mercer University was encouraged to continue providing great professional development content like this for their members. They quickly planned a follow up event and on April 30, hosted Jessica Eskew for a Zoom webinar to discuss how to sharpen LinkedIn profiles. Eskew is a Marketing Director for the insurance company, Aflac, specializing in talent development and leadership within the company.
Eskew began by emphasizing the importance of LinkedIn. Since most employers use LinkedIn to fill positions, it’s absolutely essential that students looking for employment have a polished profile.
To make sure your profile is polished and interesting, Jessica emphasized having a great profile picture, summary, and headline.
1) Profile Picture – You want to make sure your profile picture is professional, preferably in business formal attire. It should also be well-lit so people can easily recognize your face online.
2) Summary – A good summary will include what qualifications make you unique and showcase your goals for the future. It shouldn’t be too long, but it should tell a story that makes sense in the context of your page.
3) Headline – It’s important to have an eye-catching headline to attract recruiters. You only have one opportunity to grab their attention, so make it count!
Lastly, Eskew described LinkedIn as a “living resume.” This means that LinkedIn isn’t supposed to be stagnant—it is in constant need of updating. If you don’t have a new position, you can stay up to date by sharing articles and engaging with others who share their accomplishments. This is the perfect time to engage with your NeW Network!
