
Jason A.’s Answer
Good Afternoon Devetra
My name is Jason, and I work at Google in University Programs, and previously in career services at Stony Brook University. If you are looking for your first internship, I suggest to ensure that your professional brand is as good as it can be. Your professional brand reflects your professional reputation, what you are known for or even what you want to be known for. You best communicate this professional brand through things like your resume & references (past experience), etiquette when you are meeting professionals, etc. Coming across as an experienced, polite professional can help you a lot.
Resume: Ensure that your resume is formatted well and easy to read. Put activities/extracurriculars you are apart of on top of your school and relevant work experience to show that you are a well-rounded, accomplished individual. When listing what duties/responsibilities you held, be specific, demonstrate your impact, and use numbers when you can (e.g. Developed and executed new marketing strategy that increased sales by 20%).
Etiquette: This is not only what you say and how you act when you are networking, but also interview etiquette. Make sure you're dressed the part if you're at a mixer or a formal interview. It's usually better to be over-dressed than under-dressed (I showed up to my interview at Google in a full suit, while my interviewer was in jeans and a tshirt). You want to demonstrate that you are smart/fun/intelligent on paper, but also in person. There is no one magic thing to say, or one way to act, but it's how you carry yourself as a person.
I'm sure that your career center, friends and even professors can help in these regards. Don't be afraid to reach out to them for questions, as they are resources to help you. I know my explanations were pretty general, but I hope this helped a bit.