It can be devastating to find out that you missed out on an opportunity.  It could be that you found out about the most amazing internship or job opportunity one day after the deadline passed.  It could be that you found out one day before the deadline and despite your best effort to churn out a cover letter, it just doesn’t happen.  Or it could even be that you were having quite the week and a deadline just totally slipped your mind.  I have certainly had all these kinds of experiences and while they happen for one reason or another, they are still unfortunate either way. 

I nearly missed the most amazing opportunity to apply to an internship recently.  A few weeks ago, I was connected to a recruiter from an amazing media company.  This company had the perfect internship for me, all I had to do was reach out to this recruiter to get next steps about the position and to learn more about a company I would love to work at.  But for one reason or another, things got busy and the tasked disappeared from my to-do list.  It was fortunate that I was able to catch my error with a timely reminder about the opportunity but it was certainly a close one. 

Even the best of us sometimes slip up when it comes to the application process, whether for a job or internship.  We have so many balls to juggle from deadlines, to supplements, to letters of recommendation.  The best thing I have found to do when you feel like you have messed up or are cutting it close, is to relax.  I remember feeling panicked when I discovered how close I was to the deadline.  I felt terrible that this amazing opportunity to connect and apply had fell into my lap and I didn’t take immediate advantage of it.  But these feelings of panic and regret were going to help me still do my best to take advantage of the situation.  I made sure to do simple things like remember common courtesy.  I profusely thanked my connection for reminding me of the opportunity.  Without her this never would have happened in the first place so it was only professional to thank her.  I remembered to slow down when looking at my application materials to make sure that I didn’t make any mistakes.  Although I did get my materials in on time and made a fantastic connection, this defiantly applies to when you do actually miss a deadline.  It cant hurt to send an email to see if there is still a possibility to apply for the position after the deadline, provided you are professional and courteous.  Above all remember that one missed deadline is not going to be the end of the world.  There are many opportunities out there, the important thing is not to get discouraged.  My specific situation was a good reminder though.  To not only stay on top of application materials and connections, but also to be gracious and professional, even if inside you feel like you made a mistake.