LIM College

"Let me tell you the secret that has led me to my goals. My strength lies solely in my tenacity.”

- Louis Pasteur

I have always believed the old adage that experience is the best teacher. Don’t get me wrong—theoretical learning is just as important. I value the lessons I learn in my classes but more than that, I love hearing about my professors and their careers, and how much of the knowledge and skills they’ve acquired has come from their experiences.

With this on my mind, I decided to take on an internship. I figured I would get the best of both worlds by learning in the four walls of a classroom while getting my foot in the door with an internship.

I went on so many fashion sites and blogs to look for the perfect one. As an international student, it wasn’t easy for me to find an internship because I didn’t really have that many connections in the city. Unfortunately, not a lot of the companies I sent my resume to, got back to me but, I was persistent. I wasn’t going to take no for an answer. I sent emails and drafted various cover letters. I also asked a few of my friends to edit my resume.

I was scheduled to meet up with my career adviser so I decided to consult her about my dilemma in finding an internship. When I met up with her, she told me about Symplicity, which had a ton of listings for internships. I also saw that they were accepting volunteers for fashion week. So, I applied to be a volunteer for Altuzarra during market week. Fashion week was just around the corner so I made the most out of it and I also decided to volunteer for a series of fashion shows for Australian designers, which I also came across in Symplicity.

A few days later, I got an email from Atluzarra for an interview! When I want to their office, I didn’t realize that I was being interviewed for an internship and not just for fashion week. This was a hidden blessing because I didn’t get a chance to be too nervous. Then a week later, I got an email saying that I have been offered a fall internship in the wholesale department. I was thrilled! Here’s what I learned in my journey to find an internship.

1. Don’t be afraid to talk to your career adviser. They are there to guide and impart knowledge.

2. Use all avenues in looking for an internship. Explore various fashion sites as well as Symplicity.

3. Have someone check your cover letter and resume. It’s always good to have a second set of eyes in making sure your resume reflects all your strengths.

4. Never give up! Persistence is key. Right now, with fashion week coming up again, companies, designers or stylists are in need of happy helpers! Even just assisting them for one day could help widen your network and eventually, this could become an internship or a job!

With the spring semester just beginning, I encourage everyone to get an internship. It’s a great way to learn and network at the same time. Good luck in landing your dream internship!

Gabrielle Aranda