How to find an internship?

Define the internship or project objective

Looking for an internship should not be approached blindly or randomly. Too many students apply for multiple internships without much thought and accept the first offer without really considering their goal. They often end up regretting their choice.

It is important to find one that is a good fit for you and avoid making a mistake.

Although the vast majority of employers have already written up internship/project responsibilities based on their needs, if a particular company really interests you, there is no reason you cannot directly contact them to offer your services. If you go this route, it is important to be proactive and give them an idea of the type of mandate or responsibilities that an undergraduate or graduate student in a particular specialization could take on.

In your search for an internship or project, you may need some tools to help “sell” your project. Below is a list of benefits that could help convince an employer to hire you:

• Internships keep talent in the pipeline and are like an interview spread out over several months!
• Interns bring fresh perspective to the company.
• Interns put into practice what they are learning and may do things in a new way or use new technologies or processes.
  • Graduate students are supervised by an HEC Montréal professor, so they have contact with a professional with a high level of expertise.
  • They can assist a company in resolving a management problem the company is experiencing or identify business opportunities in the market.

The company can also access grant and tax credit programs to assist with hiring an intern.

Make sure they read the eligibility conditions for the organizations in charge of these programs.

Ask yourself the following questions:

• What types of jobs interest you?
• What responsibilities or mandates are particularly interesting to you?
• What type and size of company best suit you?
• What activity sector best suits you?
• What skills do you want to build?​
• What skills do you have to offer?​

Prepare and adapt tools (CV, letter, LinkedIn)

Employers are looking for candidates who can demonstrate their professionalism and who are able to highlight their skills and the relevance of these skills. You must present carefully crafted documents that are professional and adapted based on the responsibilities and requirements for each internship.

Prepare your CV

Write your cover letter

LinkedIn

Start looking!

Are your tools finely polished and ready to go? Are you ready to make a move? Here are three strategies to get started:

Use your network

Network facts:

• Many students who landed internships did so through their network.
• Is this a manager's preferred method of hiring a candidate? Why is this? It's faster, cheaper and less complicated than going through a mountain of resumes.
• Over 70% of jobs are not posted!
• LinkedIn is the largest professional social network in the world!

Direct approach

Are there companies that interest you and you don't have any contacts in those companies? Contact the employers directly by making an internship request via LinkedIn or by email.

Apply directly

All internships and projects must pay at least the minimum wage except for those in non-profit organizations or organizations with a social or community mandate. For more information, see the Act respecting labour standards.

Wages by program

Where to look for internships or projects?

Knowing where to find internship postings will give you different leads so you can find an internship more quickly.

Visit the official portal by logging in with your HEC en ligne ID and password, or any other available internship portal.

Other tips:

• General sites
• Networking at events
• Information meeting (coffee chat)
• LinkedIn

How to prepare for the interview?

Have you been contacted for an interview? This is your chance to stand out by showing off your skills and qualities. Here are some things to consider:

Prepare for the different types of interviews

In addition to the virtual or face-to-face modalities, the interview process differs from one company to another depending on the position, the size of the company, etc. There are, among others, single or consecutive interviews, in front of a selection committee, situational exercises, group interviews, etc.

Review sample interview questions

Mock interview workshops are commonly offered by Career Services consultants. Consult the calendar of events on My Career.

To go further

Go to the Internships and Projects section