An internship is an on-site work experience that is either directly related to your major field of study or your career interest. It can offer many benefits: valuable work experience (and may even lead to a job offer!), contacts in the field or industry, opportunity to apply classroom theory to the real world of work, and more.
In the latest edition of JOB CHOICES magazine, a publication from the National Association of Colleges and Employers, internship programs are listed as the number one place employers look when recruiting new hires. In other words, its a great place for you to "test drive" a career option and for an employer to "test drive" potential employees.
So how do you find your ideal internship? It's a three-step process: (1) Determine Your Internship Goals, (2) Prepare/Polish Your Job Search Skills, and (3) Find/Track Down Internship Sources. To learn more about this three step process, read How to Find Your Ideal Internship by Dr. Randall Hansen (QuintCareers.com).
Before looking for an internship, ask yourself these questions:
- Why do I want to do an internship? What do I hope to gain from the experience? What specific skills do I hope to acquire?
- Where do I want to do an internship? My hometown? In another country?
- What type of work would I like to do? In what field?
- What type of organization would I like to intern for?
If you don't have a good idea of your own goals and reasons for doing the internship, it will be difficult to convince an employer that you deserve the internship opportunity. The Top Ten Reasons to Hire Me may help you formulate your strategy prior to the internship search.
Internships are becoming increasingly competitive. You search for internships the same way you search for jobs. Thus you must polish your job search skills early so that you can effectively compete for the best internship opportunities. Need help polishing your job search skills? Make an appointment with a Career Advisor and get started now.
This is a professional job search experience so treat it accordingly.
How early should you begin planning for the internship? Follow this timeline to assist you with the planning process.
Each employer has its own application process so find out what the application procedure is for each individual internship in which you are interested. When is the deadline? (Note: Many summer internship programs, especially those for the banking and financial services sector and also many in US government departments or agencies, have a fall deadline.)
These articles may provide additional information helpful to securing an internship: Locating and Applying for Internships, To Dos for Landing a Summer Internship, and Seven Ways to Land a Great Internship.
Maximize your time on the job! Be responsible. Take initiative. Be self-sufficient. Observe company culture. Learn about the business. For more information on how to maximize your time at the internship, read Christina Richardson's article, Make the Most of Your Internship on Wetfeet.com's internship resources page.
Express your appreciation to the employer. Say thank you! Write a thank you note. Stay in touch.
Evaluate your experience. What did you learn? What projects or assignments did you complete? How did you contribute to the organization? How will you describe your experience to potential employers? What does this tell you about your future career path? Has this experience helped you more clearly define your career interests?
For more advice on "next steps", read What to Do When the Internship Ends.
/Marianna with Gov. Huntsman.JPG)
What is an internship? Why should I do one? 
