I’m sharing advice from another former student who has a media-related internship this summer.

Tyler Benjamin spent the first part of the summer in a UF study program in South Africa and posted on UF’s Global Gators blog. He will be the Academic Programs intern at the Samuel P. Harn Museum of Art. His job will be working with the museum’s education department to build a stronger connection between local college students and the museum.

Here’s Tyler’s advice:

Tyler Benjamin

While I’m not some superstar at getting these things (this is my first internship) I think the two most important tips I can give are those time-worn standbys:

1) Apply for a ton.

Up to four or more at a time, then cross bridges IF you come to them.

2) Start early.

But not just in the sense of getting your application in early, try to talk with the people who will be reviewing applications before applications are due.

Which brings me to:

3) Utilize your connections and if you don’t have any, create some.

Stop by, drop in, or email your connections (such as faculty members, club sponsors, former employers) every so often with pertinent things to say/ask. If you don’t have anything, think of something. Questions about particulars in the application are always good.

Finally (but definitely not last)

4) Apply for things that are awesome and that you like.

Think about how cool it will be to say you interned with a company in San Francisco that does outreach work with Chinese immigrants. Oh, and the real world travel, interpersonal, and social skills you’ll undoubtedly develop will be cool, too.