Menlo Magazine Summer 2021

The Internship Search as Learning Experience Since 2014, more than 900 students have completed an internship as part of the college’s Internship In Major Field (INT 499) course.

Yet, the Internship course actually begins long before the first day of class. That’s because students—with the support and guidance of the Career Services team—are responsible for finding their own internships.

The program was designed to give students real job search experience: researching different opportunities, submitting applications, and preparing for interviews. “One of the benefits is that students experience first-hand the rigors of a job search,” said Dylan Houle, the program’s director (pictured below, center); “They learn how to take the steps necessary to unearth and pursue opportunities—a foundational competency for their future success.”

The two-person Career Services team takes a hands-on, proactive approach to helping students in their search. Each fall, Houle and Assistant Director Kelly Davis (pictured below, left) meet individually with all third-year students to discuss their career interests, point out key resources and review their resume.

Additionally, all third-years are invited to participate in the annual Mock Interview Day, which provides an opportunity for students to practice their interviewing skills with real employers and alumni. Last year, 9 out of 10 students afterwards reported feeling a boost in their self-confidence. And occasionally, even the practice interviews at Mock Interview Day can lead to real opportunities!

“This was an amazing experience,” one student commented. “The woman I spoke to from DeLeon Realty was very easy to communicate with. I will be contacting her about a possible internship opportunity soon.”

Behind the scenes, Career Services manages Handshake, the college’s internal job board and the place where students can access custom resources like resume and interviewing guides, career and personality self-assessments, and an organized directory of where past students have interned. Student employee Bianca Barros ’22 (pictured right) reviews hundreds of incoming employer requests on a weekly basis to keep Handshake updated. New internships are highlighted in the weekly Career Services newsletter.

“On average, roughly four in ten students report that they find their internship through our office,” Houle observed. “But over the past three years, we’ve seen a noticeable increase in the percentage of students who report finding it through their own network or directly through the company website, which is what we want to see—that tells me that students are taking ownership of their search.”

Emanuela Stopacholi ’21, an international student majoring in accounting, recently secured an internship at VMWare after putting many hours into her search; she advises her fellow Oaks, “You might doubt if you will ever get an internship but don’t give up. Perseverance is key for success.”

33 SUMMER 2021