Internships are an invaluable experience for students and individuals with little to no work experience. An internship offers a practical, hands-on experience that allows you to learn more about an industry. Internship programs are also a positive approach to grow professional connections!
Not to mention, many university degree programs require students to complete an internship to graduate.
That said, more often than not, high-achieving internship positions require previous internship experience. This can be disparaging news for newly minted students. However, with the appropriate knowledge, landing your first internship with no experience—and gaining access to higher-level positions—is a reasonable accomplishment.
Study these tips on how to get an internship with no experience to learn about the value of internships and how to find one.
How to Get an Internship With No Experience
Internships are a positive milestone for inexperienced college students. Students apply classroom lessons to working environments to contextualize textbook concepts. Even more, employers can scout students for potential job offers!
The average company receives around 250 applications for internships. AI will filter out resumes that do not suit the company or check off certain keywords, and only five people are typically interviewed for the position. Applying for internships is time-consuming and stressful, but encouraged due to the benefits of having one.
With this in mind, it’s easy to see why the importance of internships is stressed amongst college-aged students. Continue reading to learn how and where you can find an internship.
Learn Where to Find Internships
To begin, let’s discuss where to find internships. Internship opportunities are everywhere if you know where to look! Nevertheless, if this is your first internship, it may be confusing to know where to find internships. Here are a few places to start finding internships:
- Go to career fairs
- Check out the career center
- Search your school’s job board
- Meet with an internship advisor
- Browse job boards
- Ask your friends
- Research specific companies
The above examples are just a few places that you can start searching for internships. However, keep in mind that without the right approach, your efforts may be fruitless. In the next section, we’ll discuss how to impress the internship coordinator.
Impress with an Eloquent Cover Letter
Often, candidates focus on constructing a well-written resume that highlights their extensive work experience, education, and accolades. Consequently, university students with minimal work experience probably won’t have an equally influential resume. For this reason, it is in a college student’s best interest to focus on the cover letter. By no means does this mean not to submit an eloquent resume. However, it does mean that an inexperienced candidate can make a strong case for themselves in the cover letter.
Cover letters are an impactful statement on the candidate’s behalf. The document explains to the internship coordinator why they are the best candidates. In this case, a cover letter for an internship with no experience can delve into the candidate’s soft skills and career aspirations.
Apply To a Wide Variety of Internships
Don’t sell yourself short—apply to a wide variety of internships to increase your chances of landing an internship with no experience! Ultimately, internships are a tool to grow a professional network, apply textbook concepts, experience different work environments, and try job positions. To make informed career decisions—and your coursework—it is beneficial to participate in a variety of internships.
In addition, you increase your likelihood of earning an internship when applying to multiple internships. As you gain more experience, you should narrow your focus to a particular field or occupation.
Here’s a closer look at why internships are so important in today’s professional environment.
6 Benefits of Internships as a Student
Internships in college are a fantastic way to…
1. Build Your Network ⚒️
Even if you don’t plan on pursuing a full-time job after graduation at the same company, building up a network will help you go far in the industry. Why? People hop around to different companies frequently, meaning your connections will also spread. In addition, some opportunities let you mingle with external connections too. Internships widen your horizon to potentially people at all professional levels and across departments.
2. Practice Classroom Knowledge in the Workplace
Putting theory into practice doesn’t always happen in the classroom. Even if you complete a school project on a particular topic, the application is still fairly limited. By completing an internship, you can exercise what you’ve been reading about in books through real-world decisions.
3. Gain Up-to-Date Industry Knowledge
Higher education can only update its curriculum and textbooks so quickly. To gain the most up-to-date industry knowledge, it makes sense to work in the thick of it. Not only will you learn how current companies stay competitive, but you’ll also see the distinct ways that companies tackle their problems.
4. Get Paid for Learning
While the importance of an internship lies primarily in its learning value, several also pay a monetary amount. According to Indeed, the average intern hourly rate was $20.43 in 2025. Even if you aren’t able to snag a paid internship, you may still have a shot at getting college credit for your contributions.
5. Work Up That Competitive Advantage in the Same Company
Perhaps the most important reason to pick up an internship is the potential for a job offer after. A survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) revealed that 67% of interns were offered full-time positions, though this can easily fluctuate and this number is down from previous years.
Where to Find Internships
Sometimes, it can be difficult to know where to begin when it comes to finding recent graduate internships. We’ve outlined a few great first steps below to help you get started.
Browse BestCompaniesAZ
BestCompaniesAZ is a great resource for finding after-college internships at some of Arizona’s top companies. On the site, you can find profiles for companies in financial services, healthcare, technology, insurance, nonprofit, and other industries. In each profile, you can learn more about the company and see current open job positions, including internships.
Meet with a Career Counselor
Most colleges and universities have dedicated support for helping students and graduates find jobs and internships. Oftentimes, these resources come in the form of a career center or dedicated career counselor for different majors. You can leverage your career center or career counselor to prepare your resume, practice interviewing for roles, and find out about relevant internship opportunities.
Attend Career Fairs
Career fairs have not gone out of style. They continue to be an efficient way to learn about career opportunities and to network. These days, there are virtual and in-person career fairs offering options whether or not you feel like stepping outside.
Contact Employers
Contacting employers directly can be a strong tactic for finding out about internship opportunities. Create a list of companies you’d love to work for. Then, you can leverage LinkedIn or the company’s website to find an email to reach out to.
Human resources or recruiting professionals at the company are often great contacts, as they’re likely to respond to your inquiry with helpful information. Be sure to introduce yourself and express your interest. It just might be the start of something great.
How to Land an Awesome Internship
Figuring out where to find internships is step one. Learning how to land an awesome internship helps seal the deal and gets you one step closer to launching your career.
Start Your Search Early
They say the early bird gets the worm. The early internship seeker often gets access to a wider array of opportunities. Don’t wait until graduation or until your last week of classes to start applying to internships. Start your search as early as possible.
Research Companies
“Why do you want to work here?” is often a standard question in many interviews. Be sure to research the companies you apply to, and ensure that what they do is in alignment with what you’re looking for. This will allow you to answer the “why do you want to work here” question sincerely and confidently.
Network, Network, Network
Networking can feel intimidating. But it doesn’t have to be. Think of it as connecting with people you already know, and meeting new people who may be able to help you on your career journey. Reach out and connect with employees of companies you’d like to work for on LinkedIn. Chat with your college professors — they likely know influential people in your industry. Be open about your intention to find recent graduate internships and keep an open mind.
Practice for Interviews
Practice makes perfect. Whenever you land an interview for an internship for recent college graduates, do your due diligence and prepare. Research the company and study the job description to learn more about the role. Then, spend time practicing your answers to common interview questions, such as the age-old “tell me about yourself.”
Dive into the Internship World with BestCompaniesAZ!
Whether you’re looking for your first internship or searching for a job post-grad, Best Companies AZ is a reliable source for job seekers alike. Find job interview questions for fresh graduates, networking tips for college students, and internship advice from recent graduates.
