“Social” often describes millennial interns. Plenty of studies and begrudging comments from adults note that Gen-Y can hardly take a step without tweeting about it. Rather than being born into the social media era, we grew up with it, and are therefore more likely to embrace new platforms of telling people what we are doing and with whom.
For young interns, “social” must take on a second meaning in the workplace. Clearly, it is important to be friendly with coworkers, but our social media presence must evolve as well. A recent article from Careerealism (http://bit.ly/1p78WQa) boldly claims that while social media cannot replace your resume, it is an additional virtual component that employers look at.
Toward this end, make sure your Twitter account is professional. While it may be fun to livetweet the latest episode of “The Bachelorette” (guilty), use your professional twitter to engage in conversations about your field of interest. You should show similar involvement in groups on LinkedIn. Passive retweets or observations do not say as much about your knowledge and skill set as actively engaging with others in your field. Once you make online connections with professionals in your field, work to impress them.
Many organizations, especially in the tech realm, are increasingly looking at job candidates’ YouTube channels for additional insight into their personalities. While this is not required, having a “video resume” that demonstrates your experience gives employers an additional look into both your personality that they may not always get from a traditional resume.
Your social life does not end with the beginning of an internship or job. Instead, it evolves with you, and social media is a large part of that evolution. Employers are more pervasive on the web than ever before, and projecting your best self online and on paper can go a long way in helping your internship search.
Don’t forget to connect with us on Twitter to help your internship experience: https://twitter.com/IndianaINTERN
