Summer Internships and Graduate Programmes: How to Land your Desired Job

There are usually three main mistakes candidates make:

The first one is not taking the selection process of a summer job seriously. As we said before, it is as competitive to get a “summer” as it is to get into a graduate programme.

The second is not taking time to write an excellent application, including CV, cover letter and the online application form. The whole process is designed to eliminate candidates in each phase, so if your idea is “well, I’ll apply quickly and then I will explain during the interview”, 99% chances are you will never get to the interview.

The third mistake is lack of thorough preparation for the online tests, the interview and the assessment centres. 

Remember! There are three key success factors to landing the internship or job you want: information, preparation, and networking.

Once you have decided what your career objectives are, it is time to gather information on the industry, the company, the opportunities, the deadlines, and the selection process. We recommend that you start with the EDHEC Career Centre website at http://careers.edhec.com where you will find plenty of information and relevant links in the Career Resources section under Market Study, Your Professional Project, Your Marketing Tools, and Recruitment Process. 

Use our website to prepare your application and train for the interview. Practice makes perfect, so the more you train, the better you will perform! Be sure to have your first Summer Internship or Graduate Programme applications and CV/CLs checked by the Career Centre before sending them out. You can also learn how to fill in a standard application form (SAF) on www.selectsimulator.come

financialcareers.com (UK version, free), wallfinance.com (French version, free registration for EDHEC students) and gradnav.com (free registration) are excellent resources for those interested in Investment Banking. And for insider information, we also recommend mergersandinquisitions.com and thestudentroom.co.uk

In spite of all the above, you will not be a great candidate unless you have done a good deal of networking. During the upcoming Career Days, at corporate events, on- and off-campus, always make the effort to meet and make a good impression on the EDHEC alumni and your classmates. They hold invaluable information that can be key to your job search. And be an active member of the alumni network! For more information: www.edhec.alumni.com

One last tip: use this summer to start getting ready! Polish and update your CV, read all you can about your preferred industry and company, explore the recommended websites, get experience… The more you do now, the easier it will be for you to combine studies and job search once you are on campus.