Like I said earlier, I went through both processes for NODA and ACUHO-I simultaneously. I won’t say how many positions I applied for, but it was a lot. Then came scheduling first-round interviews in different time zones, then second-round interviews, and then finally, Offer Day, which is the day your phone starts ringing off the hook with offers!
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Below are my tips for those who are trying to go through both processes, or for those who just want to know how to be more organized throughout the process:
Know your timezones!
I missed an interview call because it was in EST and I had put it down as being in my timezone (to that university – I am still so sorry). Make sure when you schedule an interview, you are looking at the times and adjusting them for your timezone. The difference could be either a two-hour difference, or even more, depending on if you apply for an international internship. Do not mess up like I did.
Keep a massive chart/document to track everything.
I kept a Google spreadsheet that had each school listed that I applied to, the position I applied for, whether it was a NODA or ACUHO-I internship, when my interviews were, if I was offered an interview, what the benefits were, etc. It helped me keep everything straight as I scheduled interviews on my calendar, and I could reference it between interviews, so all of my research was in front of me if I had back-to-back phone calls (see again: timezones).
Keep a folder in your email where you keep all of the correspondence with the institutions.
You are going to get a bunch of emails, so make sure you don’t accidentally lose one because it was buried under your work emails or your Amazon shipping notifications.
Be on top of the timelines.
Know when your last day to apply is, and when their last day is to contact you. Both of these processes move FAST, like really fast, and sometimes, you only get a day and a half to sign up for an interview with one school before they move on. Write down or set a calendar reminder for schools that ask you to send in your interview availability by a certain time, so you don’t forget.
Know your top five picks before Offer Day.
This is HUGE. I made a list of my top five, and it helped so much. That way, when a school calls you at 8:00am to offer you a position, and you know they are not one you have on your list, you can tell them right then and there. These schools only have a short window to contact interns.
If you string them along, they risk losing their other top choices to other schools if you say no later on in the day. They will appreciate you so much if you are able to tell them “thank you, but I’ve decided to go elsewhere for my internship” so they can cross you off and go on to their next intern choice. It sounds really cold, but it’s not. This process is very fast-paced. Schools need to make sure they get a candidate to fill those roles, just like you need to make sure you get an internship. Trust me, you totally will.
Charge your phone’s battery, and keep the ringer on high the night before Offer Day.
I mean it. Thanks to glorious timezones, I got a call at 7am that day for an offer while I was still sleeping.
Keep your calendar as light as possible on Offer Day.
That way, you don’t have to keep leaving a two-hour meeting because you get a phone call every 30 minutes. You can be relaxed and you don’t have to scramble to pull up your calendar or your top five list while you are talking to them
I hope this helped you out! If you have any questions, add it in the comments below and I will do my best to answer them! Also good luck and HAVE FUN!! I loved the NODA and ACUHO-I process. I got to meet some really amazing people. And, I had a bunch of fun in my interviews. (One interviewer asked what kind of Starbucks drink I would be. That has still stuck with me two years later.)
Happy internship-hunting!
