Hello there, everyone. I hope you’re all doing well.
If you are a college student looking for an internship, this blog can assist you in accomplishing your goal.
Who am I, exactly?
Before you start doubting me, let me give you a brief background on myself.
I am a BCA student in my last year at Manipal University in Jaipur.
I began my journey in May of last year with the intention of collecting money through bug bounty, however I now believe that I was mistaken.
Security is more than just Bug Bounty, although the money kept me motivated to learn more, and it eventually became my passion.
For the moment, I’m working at People Interactive as a Security Intern (Shaadi.com).
Aside from that, I’ve completed four other internships, all of which were focused on cyber security.
I struggled at first as well, but now that I have a better understanding of how things work in industry, I want to help others.
Why pursue an internship?
When a job opening is posted, hiring managers receive a flood of resumes.
While professionals may believe that their personality will win the managers over during an interview, acquiring that interview can be the true obstacle.
It can be difficult to stand out amongst a sea of resumes.
Most companies prefer to hire people who have some experience over those who have none.
An internship can help you stand out from the crowd of resumes on the hiring manager’s desk. without the need of any expensive cert.
Finally, it’s not uncommon for a internship to lead to a full-time job offer from the company.
When it comes to filling unfilled positions, companies frequently go to their intern pool.
Because the companies have already invested resources in their interns, and Hiring people who have already demonstrated that they can fit into the company’s culture and workforce makes the most sense.
What’s the Current Scenario?
Right now, the Security Domain is quite popular, and you will see a lot more people drawn to it because it offers excellent job prospects and pays well.
However, the sad reality is that many are unable to find work, which I believe is due to the fact that most corporations do not conduct off-campus recruitment drives for cyber security or advertise job openings on their websites.
The majority of the sector is based on referrals, so if you have a strong network and the right talent, you may easily acquire an internship or job.
Preparing to apply for an internship
- Resume and Cover letter
Organizations, don’t merely hand out internships to everybody who wants.
Students must ensure that they stand out from the crowd of applicants.
Most of the candidates are shortlisted based on the resume and cover letter.
The resume should highlight accomplishments made throughout their stay in college.Projects, skills, volunteering, and extracurricular activities, are all excellent additions to an internship resume.
The cover letter should be tailored to the field and industry you want to work in.It is used to demonstrate what sets them different from other students and to sell their own abilities. You should research the sector and firm before writing a cover letter, and incorporate as much of each as possible.
2.Linkedin
Even if you are not looking for internships, you should have a solid LinkedIn profile, and my advise is to do so as soon as feasible.
It will assist you in gaining exposure to Hiring Managers and Recruiters, demonstrating your knowledge, credibility, and leadership expertise, and gaining social proof for your skills and abilities.
3.Make a blog
This is the most helpful piece of advise I received from my Mentor.
Let’s take an example from the industry: If you’re brilliant at Bug Bounty or developing new tools but really don’t tell anyone about it, how would the community know about you?
Infosec is a small community, therefore if you have an active blog or YouTube channel, you may utilise it to sell and promote yourself.
4.Achievements
Active participation in CTFs and platforms like as Hackthebox, Tryhackme, and others can also help you stand out from the crowd.
A high rank on hackerone and bugcrowd can be quite beneficial and demonstrate that you have the necessary capabilities.
I believe that the above four processes play a significant role in internships, and that if you follow them, you will be able to easily pass the HR shortlisting and secure an interview.
Because it’s an internship interview, you shouldn’t take it lightly; the internship could lead to a full-time offer..
Look up frequently asked interview questions and prepare personalised responses.
Many job-search websites, such as Glassdoor.com and Linkedin.com, will include a list of popular interview questions.
Students should investigate the firm and prepare a few questions to ask their interviewer about the firm and industry.
This demonstrates enthusiasm and can help you stand out from the crowd of applicants.
Four main Applying strategies
When looking for cybersecurity internship opportunities, there are four major approaches you can take: filling out basic forms, employing a network of individuals, and expressing excitement through personal initiatives.
These tactics can be used independently or in conjunction with one another.
Strategy 1:Use your connections to apply.
As I have stated, networking is essential.
You should let your contacts know that you are seeking for internships and that any leads would be greatly welcomed.
People will be aware of this, and if there are any internal openings, they will contact you.
Strategy 2:Contacting HR or a Recruiter
There are times when a corporation is trying to fill a position but hasn’t advertised it on social media.
In these circumstances, contacting HR can almost assure you an interview, and your chances of passing are also increased because there will be less competition.
However, you must first learn how to reach out.Your message should not be too little or too large.It should include information such as who you are, what you’re seeking for, and your resume. Using this method, I’ve gotten a lot of favourable feedback.
However, you must be committed since there will be times when you reach out to 50 or more people and receive only 5–10 responses.
So don’t give up hope and keep working hard.
Strategy 3: Using job portals to apply
Register on sites like Indeed, Internshala, Angel, and others. Internships are posted on a daily basis. If the recruiter has any queries, give brief responses.
Activate Intern job alerts on LinkedIn, and you’ll be notified of new jobs every day. The application procedure is equally simple and takes only a few minutes.
Strategy 4:Making a Presentation
Yes, you heard me correctly; if you can sell yourself, you can secure an internship even if there are no openings.
Most people who are getting into cyber security are now interested in pen testing and participating in bug bounty programmes. If you’re performing well in any programme and consistently producing good bugs, you can request an internship and have a fair chance of being hired as an intern or even a full-time employee.
Keep Trying: The Process is Hard
It will require time, patience, and dedication.
Finding your first cybersecurity internship can be difficult, which is probably why you are reading this blog, but if you can apply the interrelated tactics above, you will be well on your way to opening up new opportunities.I’ve personally used these and earned five internships as a result.
Internships will give you the chance to network with seasoned cybersecurity experts and make lifelong connections.
While there are many different sorts of internships, including paid and unpaid each one will provide you with unique benefits that will help them prepare for the real world.
Regardless of the type of internship you obtain, it will be beneficial on your resume.
In the end, all of your hard work, time, and patience will be rewarded.
Whatever the outcome, you’re learning, and that’s what matters…
Best of luck!
References- Aseem Shrey (@aseemshrey)”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceFm3Pex91M”
Please give me a follow on social media and leave a comment if you learned something from this blog, please drop a clap below to increase the reach.
Linkedin-”https://www.linkedin.com/in/vasu-yadav-82ba701a0/”
Twitter-”https://twitter.com/VasuYadaav”
