6 Tips for Internship Application to Stand Out!

In previous articles, we mentioned how internships are integral to your knowledge of the architecture industry, but finding and applying to them can be an intimidating process! Not only is there a lot of work to apply, but you also have to attempt to stand out amongst your peers. Here are our tips for standing out in the internship application process.

What's Your Thing?

Considering what skills or traits you excel in might be the thing that helps you stand out! Is it design competition participation, volunteer work, or leadership experiences? Do you have a special interest and knowledge within architecture (ex. heritage conservation, sustainability, etc)? Whatever your thing may be, make sure to highlight this in your CV or portfolio! Bennett talks about how he demonstrates his thing in this video about how he got into OMA!

If you aren’t sure, that’s okay too! Remember, you are still developing skills and discovering what architecture means to you, which is the point of finding an internship. Highlight your current skills, but also share the areas you are keen to learn more about. It’s important to show various work in your portfolio to demonstrate your potential to the employer.

Cover Letter!

Don’t underestimate a strong cover letter, and definitely don’t copy/paste the same generic one you send to every firm. Make sure to tailor each letter to the specific firm to show you’ve done your research. This is an opportunity to tell the employer what kind of addition you would make to the team. (Are you enthusiastic? Calm and collected? Focus and analytical?)

Like any paper, it’s great to have a well-structured template for your cover letter before tailoring it to each firm. There are tons of resources and examples of strong cover letters for you to learn from!

Apply!

You may not check all the boxes listed in the job description, but apply anyway! Keep in mind; this might be mentally more difficult for some for various reasons. It’s disheartening to see or feel rejection for overthinkers like me, but there could still be an opportunity for you! There is no concrete way for you to know who is applying or be able to tell someone is a good fit for the role simply on paper. This is where both a strong cover letter and portfolio can help employers see the potential in you! Besides, you don’t lose anything by applying. Who knows, if you apply the following year again, they may even remember you! This recently happened when I interviewed with a firm when they had the hiring freeze at the pandemic’s peak. No promises, but stay tuned!

Follow-Up!

When asked about any skills that you aren’t proficient in yet, or unsure how to answer, be honest! However, always follow up by saying you are developing and improving these skills or are willing to learn more. If you can, even explain how you are working on these skills (i.e., taking a course, self-learning via YouTube, reading books, etc.). This will create a better quality conversation with the employer and demonstrate your willingness to learn and adapt.

Communicate

Take the time to craft professionally-written emails when sending out your work to firms. Just like cover letters, do not underestimate the power of a well-written (or poorly written) email. Writing professional emails takes practice!

Also, it’s important to be diligent when reaching out to a firm for an internship. If you haven’t heard from them, send a succinct follow-up email regarding your candidacy for the role! In general, a prompt response is always appreciated by others. This is a great habit to instill when reaching out to anyone if you haven’t heard a response.

Thank You, Next!

After an interview, always follow-up with a thank you email at the minimum. If you want to go the extra step, consider a hand-written thank you note (in your best architecture block writing, of course!) This extra gesture truly shows the employer your appreciation for the time and opportunity. To put the cherry on top, you could mention something you learned during the interview or that you are following up on the question they asked.

Overall, these are great tips for applying for full-time positions too, which I will be taking for sure! In the comments below, let us know if these helped you land an internship or a full-time position because we want to celebrate with you too! Sharing is caring! We hope to provide you with valuable insights and share them with someone who might find this useful. Make sure to follow our Youtube and Instagram for more content!