How to Land an Internship as a High School Student (2023)

1. Finding an Internship

For teenagers and high school students there are not many places to find internship opportunities if you don’t have many connections through friends and family. However, if you do know people, use your network! The easiest way to get an internship is if you already know the employer. Then all you have to do is follow our guide to securing your spot later in this article.

But for those without many connections, you’ll have to search online for internships. There are not many platforms for looking at specifically high school internships, but we’ve found that Teen Talent has landed teens the most internships by far. Teen Talent is a platform that is specifically tailored to teenagers and high schoolers that are looking for work and summer opportunities. You can filter for jobs based on industry, location, company, and job type which makes it easier than ever to find an internship as a teen.

We recommend that you stay away from platforms like Indeed and LinkedIn because they are meant for adults and very rarely will you find any legit positions for teens. They also require you to be 16 years or older to register which means that around half of high schoolers can’t even make an account.

Now that you’ve found you’re internship, keep reading so you can learn how to make a good impression and secure your internship.

2. Reaching Out to People

Forming relationships with people is crucial to finding and securing opportunities for anyone. Once you’ve found an internship that interests you, do some research! Learn more about the company, its mission, and who they're looking for. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people! Try to find an employee at the company that is doing something cool and reach out to them. It’s as simple as sending an email like this:

Hi [name]!

I'm really interested in what you're working on at [company name]. I'm currently researching [what you're doing] and working on a [project/idea/topic]. I would love to get your advice and guidance to help me as I'm developing my skills in the area.

Would you be open to chatting? I’d love to learn more about you, you’re research, and to help out in any way possible.

Thanks, [your name]

I can’t you how many times this same message framework has allowed me to chat with some of the world’s smartest people and land an actual internship.

3. The Application Process

To apply for an internship you’ll need a couple things:

• A resume
• A recommendation letter

Your Resume

Building a resume is simple, there are plenty of tools out there to get it done. Here are a few things that have worked really well for my network:

• Highlight high-value experiences
• Make it 1 page (max 2 if you really need to)
• Include a projects section and outline interesting things you’ve done. Ideally link articles/projects.

Recommendation Letter

Teachers are a great option to get to write a letter of recommendation since they do it so frequently for students applying to college. Pick a teacher that has relevant knowledge to the company you’re interested in or is familiar with the subject. Then, ideally, ask them in person and then follow up with an email to get a recommendation letter.

If you’re part of a group of many students that have not formed relationships with your teachers, then you should reach out to other adults you know or former employers to get recommendations. People will be happy to help you!

Applying

After you’ve built a resume and gotten a recommendation letter, you’re ready to apply! This step is much easier and has much better results if you’ve diligently been reaching out to people and forming relationships with employers.

Now you can submit your resume along with a genuine thank you note.

4. Acing the Interview

The internship interview is perhaps the most important step in securing your internship. Here are a few tips to make sure you're well-prepared for the interview:

• Be friendly and authentic. People don’t want to work with smartasses or ingenuine people. Just be yourself.
• Do your research. You should have done research on the company and its mission prior to the interview. Show that you are knowledgeable and passionate about the company by discussing what you have learned.
• Be confident. Speak clearly and make sure to maintain eye contact. Be sure to show enthusiasm and a positive attitude.
• Show your skills. Any relevant skills you have should be highlighted in your resume. Be sure to discuss them in the interview.
• Ask questions. Companies are looking for interested and hardworking people. Asking questions demonstrates your interest in the company.

5. Securing Your Internship

If you’ve done all of the above steps well, you’re likely to get the internship! But just in case, make sure to follow up with the company after the interview to reiterate your interest in the internship and ask about the status of your application.

Now you’ve got all the tools you need to find, prepare, and land your internship as a high schooler.

If you have any questions or comments, feel free to reach out to me.

Thanks for reading and good luck!