All About Internships
Career ID Code
Got Experience? Increasingly, employers who recruit at UNCG look for career-related experience. Internships are an excellent way to obtain such experience, as are part-time jobs, volunteer work, and summer jobs.
The Who, What, When, Where, Why, and How of Internships Who should do an Internship? YOU! Everyone can benefit from internship experience, regardless of his or her major. What is an Internship? Supervised work experience that is related to your major or career interest, typically part-time for one or more semesters or during the summer. Options include traditional summer, fall/spring, or nontraditional summer (study abroad or international) internships. Many are unpaid, although paid internships are available. To apply and see a list of available scholarships, visit the CSC website. Academic credit may be available. Check with your academic department. When should I do an Internship? Any time! Internships are available for one semester, a summer, or an entire academic year. Where should I do an Internship? Internships are available in every discipline and field of interest. They can be found locally, regionally, nationally, and internationally, and are in corporations, non-profits, and even government. Why should I do an Internship? To gain valuable work experience before graduating, to meet prospective employers, to make employment contacts, and to test a field of interest or work environment before committing to a career. It is also a chance to increase your competitive edge and develop transferable skills. How do I find an Internship? Career Services Center: Look at available internships on SpartanCareers. Meet with a career counselor to discuss how to find an internship. Browse internship directories in the CSC Library. Academic Department: Check to see if your department has a formal internship program. Ask faculty members about potential internship sites. Talk to other students or past alumni. Find out what they know. Online: Check the CSC website for links to internship information. Search websites related to “internships” and your areas of interest. Search company websites directly for internship programs and opportunities such as Internships.com, Vault, Indeed, or Simply Hired. Utilize social media to tap into your network and find new people looking for interns. Network in Your Field of Interest: Tell friends and family that you are searching for an internship. Conduct an Informational Interview with people in your field of interest. Meet with faculty and with Career Services staff.
Finding a Quality Internship Takes Time! About 6–8 months before... Make some basic decisions: Do you want to do your internship for academic credit or just for the experience? Do you want a paid internship only? Research possible internship dates. About 4–6 months before... Update your personal marketing tools (resume, cover letter, interview skills). Attend internship and career fairs at UNCG and other locations. Prepare a list of 4–5 internship sites that you are most interested in. Contact these internship sites by phone or mail and follow-up with each internship supervisor to request an interview. About 2–4 months prior to your internship... Interview with interested employers and send thank you notes after each interview. Meet with your course instructor, if taking for academic credit. When you receive an internship offer, accept it in writing and agree on a start date.
Create your own internship experience! In some cases the internship of your dreams may not be posted in SpartanCareers or anywhere else. It could be that your dream internship has not been developed yet and is waiting for you to create it. Maybe you found a great internship, but the organization offering it is too far from home. You could possibly create an internship at a similar organization nearby. If you have identified an organization you are interested in and they are not currently offering an internship, you may be able to create one of your own. When creating your own internship, it takes effort. You have to prepare early and give yourself time to make it happen. Additionally, you need to develop a solid plan.
Assess Goals
Develop a Plan
Make Contact
Logistics
Stay Hopeful
•Be able to answer these questions... •What are you hoping to learn? •Why do you want to intern for the company? •What have you learned in class that you can apply and practice during the internship? •What is it that you hope to walk away with when you leave the internship?
•Should include goals •Visualize your internship •Lay out what you would do during the internship •Include how you can contruibute to the company and what skills you possess •See if you can assist a current position you are interested in •Develop a list of projects that you could work on •Remember you are convincing the employer to hire you
•If you have not identified a company, set up an appointment with a member of the career team for assistance •Strategize a professional way to contact employers •Research online, network, contact human resources, and on-campus employer information sessions •Visit the "Market Yourself" section of the Career Services Center's Website to start identitfying contacts •Contact by phone, e-mail, or in person •Be prepared to sell your plan and answer questions about it •Have your resume and cover letter ready
•Include a start date, your avaliability, paid vs. unpaid •Know what you want to get out of the internship, but remain flexible •Obtain requirement information from your department if you need academic credit
•Remember that creating your own internship will require patience and commitment •Be flexible and keep your options open •The work you put in now can result in a great hands-on experience catered specifically to you •Remember that the Career Services Center is here to help during this process of making your dream internship a reality
Updated 6-2014