Isabel Barbosa is an Employer Branding Content Specialist at Schneider Electric and former intern.
"Is there a secret ingredient in landing an internship at Schneider Electric? I don’t think it’s as simple as identifying individual parts as it requires a perfect recipe. But no two people have the same experience getting an internship at a company because everyone’s journey is unique," she says.
Isabel shares her top 5 tips for securing an internship at the company.
Network and make connections
Isabel encourages those who aspire to a Schneider Electric internship to meet people at the company or within the wider industry, whether online through LinkedIn or in-person during a career fair.
"It’s well worth putting yourself out of your comfort zone to speak to someone," she says. "It’s highly unlikely you will get an internship on the spot but knowing someone that can help you understand the company a bit better or point you in the right direction is invaluable. Exchange contact information and stay connected, you never know what might come from it! My professor worked in Marketing at Schneider so we stayed in touch when I started working here and we still bump into each other from time to time!"
Participate in Schneider Electric events
Schneider Electric has plenty of events and experiences that people can join. Isabel explains that these events help participants get to know the company, and the company to get to know the participants - which often leads to hiring new interns.
Isabel examples of Schneider Electric events:
- Schneider Electric Go Green, a global student competition where participants can meet professionals, and get mentored by industry leaders.
- Schneider Global Student Experience that is open annually to university students that have an interest in Marketing & Sales, Supply Chain, or Services.
- Virtual career fairs or university fairs where students are encouraged to stop at Schneider Electric's booth virtually or in-person to speak with recruiters, share their resume, and learn about upcoming opportunities.
Polish your resume/CV
Next, Isabel assures that keeping resumes and CVs up-to-date is key. A resume should clearly highlight your experience, skills, and qualifications. It's also important to remove the outdated information and keep anything that matches the prospective job.
"Having a polished resume can often be the first impression a recruiter or hiring manager has of you, so make sure it’s a good one!" she adds.
Isabel shares a top tip: "Make sure your contact information (email and phone number) is correct and your resume is still intact after uploading it to the application. You wouldn’t want to miss an opportunity because of a typo in your email!"
Prepare for the interview
If the time has come for an interview, Isabel urges people to make sure they're as prepared as possible. "Interviews can be nerve-racking but they don’t have to be. Make sure to do your research, be yourself, and ask questions," she explains.
Stay connected
It's easy to stay up to date with what’s going on at Schneider Electric, with a regularly updated careers site and social media feed. Isabel offers a 'cheat sheet' to stay in the know:
- Join Schneider Electric's talent community! By joining, people can stay connected with Schneider Electric by receiving immediate notifications about job openings, invites to events, company updates, career tips, and more.
- Search Schneider Electric's careers site. On the site, people can filter for open job and internship positions by location and keyword, for example, by searching “intern” in a specific country.
- Follow Schneider Electric on social media. On the company's social media accounts, it shares job openings, what it’s like to work at Schneider Electric, and much more. "I remember following Schneider Electric on Instagram after hearing about it and seeing all the great events and initiatives that Schneider stood for, which made me want to work here even more," adds Isabel.
"There you have it, the top 5 tips to get an internship, from me, a past intern myself, and with the help from a few other interns I’ve met along the way at Schneider Electric! Take this information and use it to your advantage. I hope to see you at Schneider one day!" she concludes.
Ready to apply for an internship opportunity?
There may be an internship ready and waiting for you at Schneider Electric.
Use Isabel's top tips to work on your resume, practice your interview techniques, and start networking and connecting with Schneider Electric employees to learn more about the company.
Then start a career with a bright future by applying for a Schneider Electric internship.
Find out more
Disclosure: Where Women Work researches and publishes insightful evidence about how its paid member organizations support women's equality.