Career Development…to assist you on the
road to success!
What is an internship?
Internships provide you with the opportunity
to gain hands-on experience in your field of study. Internships
may also be called field experiences, student teaching, clinicals,
and preceptorships.
• Internships have an educational element.
Look for an opportunity that gives you the chance to put your
classroom learning into practice. Look for internships that offer
substance in the work you will be asked to do. An internship is
more than filing, typing and answering phones.
• Internships may or may not be paid. Paid
internships may be a flat sum or hourly wage. Some majors require
that you not be paid during the internship. There are many wonderful
non-paid internships and thus you limit your opportunities by
only looking at paid internships.
• Internships may be for credit or not for
credit. Either way, the experience you are gaining will be valuable.
For-credit internships will be noted on your academic transcript
and also provide more structure and evaluation for you.
• Your professor or career advisor does
not get the internship for you. They are there to offer advice
and contact names. Securing an internship is up to you.
What are the benefits?
According to a recent survey of 259 service, manufacturing and
nonprofit employers, 58.6% of those employer's new hires had some
type of internship experience. Additionally, 24% of those employers
hired the students who interned with them.
Aside from the increased potential for hire, internships
provide you with an opportunity to explore a certain type of work
or environment that you think you are interested in. At the same
time, you gain invaluable oral communication, interpersonal, and
teamwork skills - the top three skills employers value and look
for in new hires.
Additionally, you are exposed to employers who
will get to know you and the type of work you can do. This exposure
opens up many networks, which can be the most effective job search
tool.
Finally, you are able to apply classroom theory
to practical situations and demonstrate to the potential employer
a strong interest and skill level in a chosen field.
How do I get academic credit?
To receive
academic credit for your internship, you must register for the
internship course as you would any other course in the Catalog.
To register for the internship course, you must
first contact a faculty member within your department. Some majors
require application to the internship. Approach a faculty member
in your department at least one semester prior to your desired
internship semester to ask if he/she will supervise and sponsor
your internship. Visit with the faculty member to be sure you
understand the requirements for the internship.
Credit varies from department to department. A
brief description of credit hours granted and admission requirements
to the internship are available in the Catalog. Complete descriptions
are available from your faculty sponsor in each individual department.
What
do I need to do after I register for the internship course?
After
you register for the internship course, YOU need to secure your
internship location.
If you have an internship location in mind, get
a description of the duties you will be performing. Show that
to your faculty supervisor for approval.
If you do not have a location in mind, visit the
Career Development Office. We can be of assistance in a number
of ways. First, the office receives and posts all internship opportunities.
Second, the director can be of assistance in developing your resume
and cover letter. Third, we can help you improve your interviewing
skills. All of these are important in securing a valuable internship
experience. Also, check with your faculty advisor. He/she may
have location suggestions for you as well.
What
are my roles and responsibilities as an intern?
You
are responsible for the creation and implementation of the internship.
Define objectives. Locate and secure the internship opportunity.
Keep your faculty sponsor current on any problems or concerns.
Work closely with your employer sponsor to ensure that you understand
the expectations and policies of the company. Show up on time
to the work site. Complete the necessary number of hours per week
required for credit. Contribute to the employer as a member of
their employment team. Understand that neither you nor the employer
are under no obligation to accept or offer permanent employment
at the completion of the internship.
How
am I evalutated at my internship?
Both
your faculty advisor and your employer sponsor evaluate you. Check
with your faculty advisor for more details.
When should Istart looking?
It
is never too early to start thinking about an internship.
Freshmen/Sophomore Year - Start to identify and
explore possible areas of interest with the assistance of the
Career Development Office.
Junior/Senior Year - Begin talking with people
about your interest in an internship. This is commonly called
networking and is the most effective way of finding any type of
employment opportunity. Also begin working on your resume and
cover letter. NOTE: Many employers look for interns at least one
semester preceding the semester they'd like you on board. If you
wait until January, for example, to find an internship for spring,
you will likely run into difficulties. Many employers will already
have their interns in place.
How
do I decide where to look for an internship?
1. Clarify Your Objectives
Nothing indicates preparedness to an employer
like a person who is able to succinctly state his/her goals and
objectives. Think about what you want to get out of the internship
experience.
Specifically ask yourself:
- Why do I want to do an internship?
- What kinds of tasks do I want to be doing?
- What skills do I want to use? What skills do
I want to learn or improve?
- What do I hope to accomplish by the end of
the internship?
2. Identify Organizations
An "organization" may be a business,
non-profit group, government agency, citizens' coalition, public
service organization, educational institution, or any other community
working toward a common goal.
To identify organizations, you will need to do
some research. You may want to limit your research by focusing
on a specific location or type of organization. Read directories,
yellow pages, and contact the Chamber of Commerce in the area
for sources. We have a number of such resources available for
your use in the library or the Career Development Office.
How do I apply for an internship?
1. Identify the Person to Contact
You will get much better results if you direct
your inquiries to the person in charge of hiring. If that person's
name is not available in the directories, do additional research
to try to uncover it. Your networking contacts may know or a simple
call to the organization's switchboard can get you the information.
2. Contact
Send a letter and resume to the organizations
you have identified. In your letter, be sure to address: What
you mean by an internship; What skills you have to offer; and
the advantages of hiring you. Again, help is available from the
Career Development Office. We have a "guide for employers"
brochure you may want to give the prospective employer.
3. Follow Up
Following
up your letter with a phone call is one of the most important
steps - and the one most often overlooked. Call the employer approximately
two weeks after you send your resume and ask for a face-to-face
appointment. If the employer is not able to take an intern, ask
him/her for the names of other organizations in the area that
might have openings.
How
do I get the most out of my internship experience
In
order to get the most out of your internship experience; be sure
to consider the following:
1. Write down your goals for the internship.
You will be required to develop goals for your
internship. Take this assignment seriously. It is the best way
for you to communicate to your faculty advisor and employer what
you hope to learn during your internship.
2. Communicate concerns to your faculty advisor
or site supervisor.
If you have a concern about the work that you
are doing, talk to someone. Choose whomever you feel most comfortable
with - faculty or employer. If you do not feel comfortable approaching
either one, contact Career Development. The most important thing
is that you tell someone about your concern so that actions can
be taken to improve your internship experience.
3. Ask questions.
This is your time to learn. Never be afraid to
ask questions.
4. Keep your faculty advisor informed.
You will likely be required to meet with your
faculty advisor on a regular basis. If you are not required to
do so, do so anyway. He/she can help you process what you are
learning and seeing.
5. Keep a log or journal of your experiences.
The skills you gain will be invaluable when you
start job searching. Keep a journal of experiences and skills
you’ve learned. This will be helpful when you interview
for future jobs.
6. Get samples of any work you have completed.
Whenever
possible, keep a sample of the work you do. These will be great
for your portfolio and for reminding you of what you have accomplished.
