We’ve taken a bit of a hiatus with our blog, but we’re back now with the latest in our “Don’t Listen To Us” series. This week, we’re featuring the well-known Lauren Berger, otherwise known as The Intern Queen. Completing fifteen internships throughout her college career, Lauren surely knows the ins and outs of the internship world and makes it her goal to educate college students in hopes of aiding them in landing “that dream internship.” So in 2006, Lauren had the aspiration of providing a website aiding college students since she had noticed that few of her peers had even one internship under their belt and that she was sought after by friends for her advice. With support and funding, Lauren launched The Intern Queen, which lists fabulous internships across the US, in June 2008.

Last Monday, I caught up with Lauren and had a quick chat with her about her thoughts on her past experiences and internships in general. What was incredibly surprising was that of the fifteen internships that she had pursued, many were not gained through networking, but rather, purely through applications. And while networking is highly advocated, there is still much to be learned through such a road. Such path teaches you lessons and necessary skills about tailoring your résumé and cover letter, finding out what you truly enjoy, and self-motivation.

While some may wonder why Lauren chose to undertake fifteen internships in her four years of college, as opposed to settling into a internship for a longer period of time, her response is one that resonates clearly. She had moved around a lot with her internships, living in New York, Los Angeles, and Orlando, which didn’t leave her with the options to think about staying. And more importantly, having so many internships allowed for greater exposure to potential careers and more varied experiences in terms of work and life. And of course, Lauren still places an emphasis on school, as it is the place to prepare and refine your soft skills (i.e. working under pressure, teamwork, punctuality) for the real world.

One of the many tips that Lauren offers to students looking for an internship is to look for structure in the program, which can easily be done by asking the interviewer to describe a day of his life at work.

Currently, Lauren is available for speaking engagements at schools, organizations, events, or conferences, and is continuing to assist students in landing the internship of their dreams. For more information and internship listings, visit Lauren’s website http://internqueen.com/ and follow her on her twitter account InternQueen for daily tips.

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