{"id":3836,"date":"2023-05-18T11:30:00","date_gmt":"2023-05-18T15:30:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/?p=3836"},"modified":"2025-05-22T18:14:54","modified_gmt":"2025-05-22T22:14:54","slug":"student-leadership-programs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/theforage.wpengine.com\/basics\/student-leadership-programs","title":{"rendered":"The Ultimate Guide to Student Leadership Programs (or Pre-Internships)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

You might know that internships<\/a> are a key part of your early career journey and can help you land a role. But there are actually some crucial career opportunities before that: pre-internships. Pre-internships, also known as student leadership programs, are opportunities to learn more about a company, build job skills<\/a>, and network \u2014 all before you even take on a formal internship role. They can even give you a leg up in the internship application process. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, what exactly is a student leadership program, and how do you get into one? <\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is a Student Leadership Program?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A student leadership program can go by many names, including pre-internship, early insight, early identification, and career discovery programs. But, regardless of the title, the program aims to show you what it\u2019s like to work at the company and teach you some of the skills you\u2019ll need to succeed there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How It Works<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

The format of a student leadership program varies significantly from one company to another. For example, one of Bank of America\u2019s<\/a> pre-internship programs, Careers Launchpad, is a three-day event. On the other hand, Bloomberg\u2019s discovery program is a ten-week-long summer program. Bloomberg<\/a> also has another program that\u2019s completely virtual and self-paced.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To understand the format of a specific company\u2019s student leadership program, be sure to look on the company page and in the job description for more information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Do Companies Have Student Leadership Programs?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Student leadership programs benefit companies, too, by helping them open their pipeline for future entry-level positions. Employers want to find students interested in the company and get them excited about potentially working there while training them along the way. During the program, they\u2019re looking for students with high potential, skills, and leadership qualities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At the end of many programs, students get early access to internship applications, move ahead in the interview process<\/a>, or even interview for an internship position on the last day. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Who Can Do a Student Leadership Program?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Student leadership programs are excellent opportunities for anyone interested in working at a specific company or industry, or students who want to figure out what kind of company and career path they\u2019re interested in.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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However, these programs often have specific requirements for who\u2019s eligible to apply.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For example, some pre-internships focus on diversity and inclusion, and the company encourages students from underrepresented minorities to apply. Others only accept students from specific class years, usually freshmen and sophomores. Finally, some have an area of focus, such as students in STEM. Read the application page closely to learn what requirements each company is looking for.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why Should You Do a Student Leadership Program?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Student leadership programs are a great way to learn more about the workplace while getting ahead in the company\u2019s recruitment pipeline. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

>>MORE: <\/strong>What Is a Recruiter (and How to Talk to One)?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get a Leg up in the Application Process<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you\u2019re interested in working for a company, doing one of these programs can move you ahead of other candidates. You\u2019ll get more inside information on what skills you need to thrive at the company, interview tips, and sometimes even early interview opportunities for open internship positions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Mentorship and Professional Development<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

These programs aim to help companies look for future<\/em> leaders, which means they know you don\u2019t have all the skills you need right now \u2014 but they want to help you build them! Companies often pair students with mentors during the program or provide professional development<\/a> sessions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn More About the Company<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Hear from leaders at the company about what working at the company is like.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cPeople were talking about their experiences, how they got to the position that they are now, and really just any advice that they could share,\u201d says Jonathan Herrera, a student at the University of Chicago who participated in one of Bank of America\u2019s programs. \u201cYou meet people that you wouldn\u2019t think would be in a certain industry or would have a hard time acclimating just due to family reasons.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Herrera was especially moved by a higher-up at the company who spoke about his experience as a working father.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI thought that was really awesome because when you think of banking, you think of not having enough time for a family and it being very difficult for it,\u201d Herrera said. \u201cBut he was talking about his experience and how Bank of America was very flexible with how he spent his time in the office and at home. Once you start to listen to stories like that, it really does give you a really positive perspective because you understand what the firm can do on a deeper level for you and that they actually care. You can also put yourself in their shoes and say, okay, I can actually do this, because as somebody that has similar goals that I do in life and is standing right there on the stage telling me that it is possible.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Learn What You Like and Don\u2019t Like<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

You\u2019ll learn more about a particular industry and type of company, which is helpful when deciding what job opportunities you want to pursue.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Networking<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

These programs can be a great opportunity to connect with company leaders, recruiters, and even other students. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

>>MORE: <\/strong>What Is Networking and Why Is it Important?<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Get Interview Advice<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Employers often share exclusive interview tips during these sessions to help students prepare for the internship interview process \u2014 which sometimes happens on the last day of the program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cGetting tips from your employer on how to do those interviews is extremely valuable,\u201d says Gabriel Thomaz Vieira, a student at Yale University who also completed Bank of America\u2019s Career Launchpad program. \u201cIt was great to see how responsive and accessible [the employees] were.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

>>MORE: <\/strong>Ace the interview by learning how to answer top interview questions<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

How to Get Into a Student Leadership Program<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

How do you successfully apply and land a spot at a pre-internship? What experiences and skills do you include if you\u2019re early in your college career and applying so<\/em> you get experience and job skills?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Don\u2019t worry \u2014 these companies don\u2019t expect you to have extensive professional work experience. Instead, it\u2019s more about your potential and willingness to grow. Look closely at the program description, including what the company is looking for. Usually, there will be a section with specific skills or a \u201ctype of person\u201d they\u2019re looking for, whether that\u2019s a \u201cgo-getter\u201d or \u201cteam player.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

>>MORE: <\/strong>How to Write a Resume With No Work Experience<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n

When compiling your application materials, remember:<\/p>\n\n\n\n