Take advantage of the inside track to unearth coveted summer internships

Q: I'm a first-year graduate student, and I want to get a leg up on summer internship opportunities, preferably in a small technology company. These positions aren't typically advertised, so I am researching companies. I'm preparing to call them and send my resume, with the hope I can set up some informational interviews. Do you have any other advice that will help me secure an internship position?

NICK'S REPLY: Research is an important part of the preparation to impress a good company. Making calls is good, too, because a resume by itself is a weak introduction and likely to be ignored. I suggest that you focus heavily on making your contacts as personal as possible. It often takes an insider advocate to help a student win one of those precious internship positions.

Here's what I'd do immediately. Go to your school's alumni office and track down alumni who work at technology companies. Call them and introduce yourself. Most people will take a minute to coach a student from their alma mater. Do not ask for a job. That will only lead you to the personnel department. Ask what trade publications are key in their industry (so you can read them) and inquire about what qualities they find desirable in interns. "Does an intern need to be sponsored? Would you be willing to spend a few minutes to help me figure out if I've got the qualities that would make a company want me as an intern? I admit this is all new to me, and I want to learn how to do it right."

This is where your preparation pays off. If you get a positive response, show some initiative. "Here's how I think my skills could be immediately profitable to a company ..."

Alumni are usually glad to help as long as it doesn't take too much effort. Some may actually take you under their wing and mentor you. This is one great way to get in the door, and since you're looking for an internship, it won't cost the company a cent.

THE HEADHUNTER TIP:

Opinions and advice are better than references.

I never use the word "reference" when I'm checking someone out. I ask for an opinion, and I do it in a way that makes it easy for the person I'm talking with to step back and really think about the job candidate.

"If you could take Jane aside today, what advice would you give her about how to be a more successful worker?"

That one question elicits more thoughtful insights about a person than 10 standard reference questions. When our discussion is done I pause and ask, "If you could hire Jane today, would you do it?"

A manager's spontaneous answer to that question represents an opinion that's worth more than 50 pages of reference information. If the answer is negative, or if it's positive with any hesitation, I've learned all I need to know.

Don't check references. Ask for opinions and advice about a candidate.

Copyright 2009. Distributed by Universal Press Syndicate

Nick Corcodilos is author of "Ask The Headhunter: Reinventing the Interview to Win the Job" and the host of www.asktheheadhunter.com. He can be reached by e-mail at seattle@asktheheadhunter.com or at North Bridge Group, P.O. Box 600, Lebanon, NJ 08833. Sorry, no personal replies.