<p>Hi, I am currently a junior in the Bay Area, and I am really interested in getting an internships (preferably in the business sector). I have taken business classes throughout high school, but I do not have many family connections, even though I am Indian, and finding a high school internship is pretty difficult. What should I do to make sure that I get one? The summer is coming up, and I desperately want an internship to learn whether or not I should pursue business.
Thanks!!</p>
<p>I was in a similar situation at the beginning of this year.</p>
<p>From my personal experience, I can only advise you to put in the time required to find a good position. I had to send out 70ish emails before I got a few replies. I had most of my emails ignored when I sent them.</p>
<p>It may be even more difficult since you are applying for a business related field, without any connections. I would assume that employers would not be willing to take a risk on a high school student when they have to earn profits, but an internship for a local college might be more flexible. Along these lines, if you do get an (unpaid) internship, make sure you know what your job entails. Don’t just do grunt work. </p>
<ol>
<li>Create your resume</li>
<li>Research possible companies–this is extremely daunting. “Where to start?” I can’t say much except persevere and spend time on it. Look up local companies, local branches of big companies, and find the emails and contact information of individual people. I didn’t send actual, physical mail; you might have better luck with that.</li>
<li>Draft your letter and revise after listening to suggestions from friends. One problem I had with this was too much focus on academic achievements, and not enough explanation on why I would be useful to the employer.</li>
<li>Spam all the companies you researched, and make sure to alter your letter to fit. Follow up a week later on each.</li>
</ol>
<p>A simpler solution would be applying through a program. I could not find any I could apply for in the Los Angeles area, which may or may not have more opportunities than the Bay Area. Many programs are for college students, or for disadvantaged minorities (think black, latino, NA–not Indian. Assuming you are Indian Indian, not Native American Indian)</p>
<p>Feel free to pm me for more information, but I don’t know how much I can help you. It really is just a huge time investment. Good Luck! Hopefully you find a promising and educational internship quickly–you might find companies than I did.</p>
<p>Wow!! Thanks a lot for the reply! What area of study did you intern in? Engineering?
I am thinking of maybe expanding my internship interests to include computer science, as I believe that I may have higher chances if I try to pursue that. Thanks a lot!!</p>
<p>Great advice from Wilsun! We concur. It can be difficult and definitely takes time, but any high school student can secure an internship with enough persistence.</p>
<p>On our website, we have lots of good, free advice and resources to help you create a resume/cover letter, narrow your search, find companies, interview successfully, etc.</p>
<p>Check it out here: [Sign</a> Up To Receive Our eTips : Discovery Internships](<a href=“http://www.discoveryinternships.com/tips#adTop]Sign”>http://www.discoveryinternships.com/tips#adTop)</p>
<p>One great source of business internships is with non-profits. They all have business functions, and they often are grateful for intelligent help. In a small non-profit, you’ll be able to see a lot of different business functions - finance, marketing, strategic planning, program mgt., personnel - in a way that will help you to understand entrepreneurship. If you are computer savvy, bonus points because many small non-profits don’t have staff who know how to take advantage of technology. Find one with a mission you care about. Just remember that having an intern is a lot of work for a supervisor, so be prepared not just to learn, but to contribute. If you can commit to being there for the rest of the year, you’re likely to be an even more attractive candidate.</p>
<p>Fantastic advice! Functional experience is SO much more valuable than a company name.</p>