Eight Steps to Finding an Internship

1. First, learn more about yourself. To secure the internship that best meets your interests and needs, you will want to answer these 3 questions:

  • What am I good at?
  • What do I like to do?
  • What is important to me?

Use our on-line self-assessment and career planning program, SIGI Plus.  It is interactive, easy-to-use and is a great starting point.

2. Next, identify 3 or 4 fields, occupations or types of jobs that are of interest and that you might like to sample during the summer, Winter Term or semester. In The Career Center, research the fields of interest to learn even more about them and to better determine which might be a good "fit" for you during your internship. This will also allow you to demonstrate some knowledge of the field to prospective internship hosts. Keep in mind that there are probably several areas worth investigating and potentially of interest and they may not necessarily be related to your academic major.

3. Begin preparing your resume, which is an expected "professional" document commonly used in securing employment. Resume-related advice and assistance are available through The Writing Center and The Career Center.

4. Use The Career Center and other appropriate resources to identify prospective organizations or companies in the above fields and occupations. Research the organization to learn more about it and to determine if it meets your needs; the resulting knowledge will also help you make a positive first impression with the person hiring you.

Try these resources:

The Career Center
1.) On-line job and internship listings
2.) Winter Term Host Binder
3.) Summer Job Internships Binder
4.) Internship Directories (career section)
5.) Alumni Volunteer Career Network
6.) Books - "Internships in..." (variety of occupations)
7.) Web sites

Other Resources
1.) Academic Departments
2.) Winter Term Office
3.) Roy O. West Library
4.) Alumni
5.) Friends and Family

5. Identify the appropriate individual at the organization to contact regarding an internship; The Career Center staff may be able to help you with this.

6. Draft a letter to this individual explaining your interest in interning at his/her organization and what you can offer him/her for the summer (i.e. interest in that field, enthusiasm, solid communication skills, etc.). Again, guidelines are available in The Writing Center and The Career Center. This letter will ultimately be sent with your resume to prospective internship employers.

7. Finalize and send your letter and resume to prospective employers.

8. Approximately 7-10 days after sending these, phone the individual to whom you sent your resume to answer any questions and to see if he/she is interested in having you as an intern. If convenient and appropriate, you may want to schedule an interview. 

Then What?

1. Interviewing - most employers will not hire you sight unseen. They will want to meet and talk with you; they want to know if you will be "a good fit" with their organization. The best way of doing this is speaking with you face-to-face, probably in an interview. Pick up the "Employment Interviewing" booklet in The Career Center. For extra practice, schedule a mock interview with the Career Services staff. Click here to learn more.

2. Follow Up - after an interview, follow up with the interviewer by writing a thank-you letter and reiterating your interest in the position. It may be appropriate for you to stay in touch with the person by phone until you have heard whether or not you've received the position. Click here to learn more.

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