Lots of Applications - NO responses.

“My student has applied to a ton of internships. Nothing is happening. What are we missing?”

I’ve been hearing this a lot lately.

So we pulled up her application together.

Her résumé was solid.

Her GPA was strong.

Her cover letters were… fine.

The issue wasn’t effort.

It was approach.

She was one of hundreds of applicants sending the same polished materials into a very crowded system.

What I suggested next felt uncomfortable at first, but it changed everything.

Before applying, she reached out to a few people who actually work at the companies she was excited about. Not HR. Alumni and early-career professionals in roles similar to the ones she wanted.

Not to ask for a job.

To ask better questions.

“What does success really look like in this role?”

“What surprised you when you started?”

“What do you wish you’d known before applying?”

Those conversations gave her language, context, and clarity she never could have gotten from a job description. They shaped her cover letters — and in one case, led to an internal referral.

That’s the difference between being another applicant and being a thoughtful, curious candidate.

I often remind my clients: job postings aren’t just applications. They’re conversation starters.

If you’re currently hiring interns,  what makes a student’s outreach feel thoughtful rather than transactional?

As a parent, does encouraging this kind of outreach feel supportive, or does it feel like overstepping?