Two Crucial Steps to Land an Internship in the Age of AI

It’s no secret that those who participate in internships offer a higher chance of landing a full-time job later, but those internships can be hard to get. Anecdotally, I hear that more and more young people are willing to take unpaid internships to gain more experience. I also hear from new graduates how hard it is to find a job. In the age of AI, internships will continue to increase in their competitiveness.

Researchers like Sarah Bana discuss how companies will use AI to do tasks such as research and information gathering, basic content creation, and administrative tasks that were once given to entry-level employees. In one study, 69% of hiring managers believed AI could do the work of a recent college graduate.

The prevalence of AI begs the question: How can you land an internship, whether you’re still in college or a recent college graduate? The short answer? By building solutions, not blindly sending resumes. 

Step one: Identify your values, interests, and goals for impact

This hardest step will take time and patience, and most importantly, commitment to a path forward. Be strategic with your internship applications: instead of taking a broad approach, concentrate on one opportunity where you can thoroughly explore the role and strategically apply your skills to differentiate yourself.

For example, if your degree is in communications, consider how your values align with different sectors within that field, like health, engineering, education, infrastructure, or the environment, to find your most inspiring path. Investigate and identify one or two organizations whose cultures and values resonate with you and feel like the perfect career fit.

This stage requires a shift in attitude, focusing on the value of your current situation rather than dwelling on what you might be missing. Embrace a growth mindset, seeing challenges as pathways to development, not reasons to retreat or obstacles to avoid. Once you’ve clarified your values, your desired long-term impact, and your learning goals, commit to the company you choose. 

The “Paradox of Choice”

This step requires another level of commitment, similar to what psychologist Barry Schwartz discovered in his influential research on “The Paradox of Choice.” Schwartz categorizes people based on their decision-making style: "maximizers" who search extensively for the best possible option, and "satisficers" who choose an option once they find one that satisfies their predetermined standards. 

His research indicated that “maximizer” college students who constantly sought better options and agonized over their choices when it was time to pick their courses reported significantly lower satisfaction and greater regret than satisficers. This continuous evaluation creates decision fatigue, a phenomenon that researchers have found depletes mental energy and degrades decision-making quality over time.  

In your internship or job search, avoid the mental exhaustion of comparing endless postings; commit instead to an in-depth exploration of one or two promising organizations. By adopting a satisficer mindset, you'll conserve your cognitive resources for deeper, more meaningful work rather than wasting them on the psychologically taxing process of constant comparison. 

Step two: Get to know the company and help them improve

Now the fun begins! Research the company’s operations and try their products. Talk to employees, analyze the competitors — even talk to the competitors’ employees — and identify potential opportunities for improvement and innovative solutions. Use GenAI tools to help you sift through and organize the details. 

Connect with individuals through the company website or LinkedIn. Rather than spending hours sending generic applications to open positions, focus on this single project. 

All companies have projects and automation needs that they lack the resources to implement. An external perspective can provide invaluable contributions. How can you create a space for yourself at this organization, even if they’re not currently hiring interns or new employees?

Here’s one approach: Identify a need and immerse yourself in the challenge of resolving it. Develop a prototype, solicit feedback from real-world users, and present your solution to the person leading the project. That kind of initiative shows you’re a go-getter with the potential to be a valuable contributor. 

This strategy requires strong nerves and determination, but demonstrates your:

• Initiative
• Ability to innovate and build
• Persistence
• Strength of purpose
• Self-direction
• Complex problem-solving skills

If you can build a working prototype and present it clearly to the project or team lead, you’ve just demonstrated a skillset that’s very valuable in an AI-driven workplace — and you’re much more likely to land a job (even one that doesn’t exist, yet).

You may find yourself dedicating a good chunk of time to this unpaid project, but each step cultivates a deeper understanding of yourself. You’re also building a portfolio that will strengthen your resume more effectively than spending hours each week applying to hundreds of jobs.

Leveraging AI to help start your career 

AI is changing the nature of work, how companies hire, and how we grow in our careers. Companies are increasingly automating entry-level responsibilities with AI and fundamentally changing traditional career progression. But you can take control of your destiny by using AI. Similar to how YouTube democratized access to knowledge, AI tools offer you the opportunity to disrupt traditional hiring processes.  

Instead of spending significant time and energy on the usual application channels and relying on hiring algorithms alone, you can leverage AI to conduct in-depth company research, identify their genuine needs, and develop working solutions that showcase your value before you even interview.

This strategy showcases your true capabilities in a way a generic application can’t, empowering you to create your own opportunity within an organization, rather than passively waiting for permission to contribute.