Image via The Odyssey Online
Throughout Winter break and the start of this semester, I have been tirelessly applying to internships. In class, we talked about long-term and short-term sales, and internships feel a lot like the long sale we described. A lot of companies have multilevel applications that can take weeks or even months to get through, assuming you even progress to the higher levels of consideration.
I feel like the emotions tied to a sale are heightened in any long-term sales prospect, and this is especially true when you’re selling yourself. You are, of course, selling yourself when you’re applying for internships, and that is why it can be especially daunting. What if all of the strain and toil of securing a position in a company goes to waste on the fourth or fifth step of applications? How can you not take that personally?
For example, in my internship search, I recently heard back from my first-choice company. They put me through the second step, and then the third step of applications. I found out yesterday that they want to interview with me this week. As great as that is, I naturally feel anxious, because I know my spot is not guaranteed.
In feeling this, I realized the same things that made me feel better about my internship could probably be applied to any long-term sales anxiety.
- Be humble. I’m human and I make mistakes a lot, so failure in some things is inevitable. It helps me to assume this aspect of me is going to show up before I go into new situations. It happens to everyone and it’s okay.
- Want the best for the prospect. I want the company to find the person that is actually the best fit for them. I think it’s me because I’m applying, but I know there are a lot of other students who are capable, and the company may decide one of them is better suited for the role. Sometimes that happens.
- See a better future. If I don’t get the internship, there will be other opportunities. In sales, there are always other opportunities, and you can always do better in the future.
When I remember these things, it helps ease the stress of potential disappointment. I think techniques like this are important whether you’re selling yourself or a product.
BoweryJE22
I think you can also incorporate the lesson we talked about in class, where you first have to fail before becoming successful. In my personal internship search I have been rejected a few times and I have been able to learn from it for the next time I talk with a company. Just as in sales, a failure can be turned into a positive if we learn from it and improve for the future.
This is great advice and just what I needed to read. I’m a worrier and in scenarios like that, it feels like I’m walking on a tightrope. I’ll keep these in mind for the next job opportunity.