Internship: What's In It For Me?

What is the big deal about internships, anyway? You may have heard about them through the grapevine, but not really known what they were all about. Instead of delivering pizzas or working at the mall, why not consider the extraordinary opportunity of serving an internship?

Why Do an Internship?

Learn first hand about a career field and gain valuable work experience that employers want.

Make decisions about your future

Build your professional career network, and gain contacts and recommendations.

Strengthen your resume and improve after graduation job opportunities.

Receive job offers.

Planning an Internship

Before you embark on an internship experience, consider these practical aspects to consider:

Location. Where do you want to do your internship?

Housing. Can you afford to pay rent? Do you have friends or relatives with whom you can stay while doing the internship?

Finances. How much money will you need, what expenses will you have?

Resume. Continue improving and developing your resume. Have many people read it and offer their suggestions.

Cover letter. Develop a cover letter that is specific to the internship position.

Interview. Prepare for the interview by researching the company. Have someone ask you questions, so you can practice your answers.

Resources for Finding an Internship

Finding an internship is often a challenging project. You should begin your search process months before you plan on doing the internship. The following are some suggestions for finding an internship:

Career Services. Your local Career Services office is a good resource for books and journals that list internship opportunities. The staff is also a good source of referral and networking. Career Fairs. Many employers will go to a career fair at the college/university to not only find soon to be graduates, but also to find interns. Family/Friends. Tell everyone you know what you are trying to do and where you would like to work. You never know when a friend's acquaintance might be able to help you. Professors. Many of your professors know people in your major field. They might be able to provide you with a contact name and a reference. Human Resources Websites. Check Human Resources web pages for companies you have an interest in. Oftentimes, companies will list open positions. Professional Associations or Societies Websites. Being a student of a professional association in your field gives you access to the internship listing of that association.

General Internship Websites.

WetFeet.com

InternJobs.com

RSinternships.com

InternWeb.com

Creating Your Own Internship

By creating an internship you have the opportunity to tailor it to your interests and geographic requirements. Start by asking the question, "Where would I like to work?" Looking for organizations or agencies rather than listings opens up a world of possibilities. While these may not be paid, they sometimes can be combined with a part-time job.

The nice thing about creating your own internship is that you are only limited by your own imagination. You would be surprised to find that some of the best opportunities are found in the least likely places, so be open to “being in the right place at the right time.” You may create opportunities for yourself that never would have been possible had you not thought outside the box.

Contacting organizations to propose an internship. Once you have decided on some organizations/companies for which you would like to do an internship, follow up.

E-mail. E-mail is fast and it is easy for employers to get back to you. An e-mail should introduce yourself, your skills, why you would like to do an internship, and how you can benefit the organization. You should paste your resume in the e-mail to prevent any problems with attachments.

Telephone. Phone calls can be efficient if they don't lead to "phone tag." Rehearse what you are going to say before making the call. Introduce yourself, tell the listener about your interest in the organization and the fact that you are seeking an internship. The conversation will take off from there.

Mail. Traditional mail takes too long, and often papers are misplaced or unanswered once they reach an organization.

Whom to contact in an organization. In a small business, contact the executive director. In a larger organization, contact the head of the department where you would like to work. Looking at staff listings on the organization's website will give you a good starting point.

Evaluate the Internship Offer

Before accepting a position, especially an unpaid position, carefully consider what you will be doing, and how it will benefit you. Following are some questions you might want to ask to help clarify what your duties will be during the internship.

What are some of the projects or assignments I would be involved in, and what would be my role?

What type of supervision do interns receive?

Could you describe the work culture?

What are the most important qualities you are looking for in an intern?

Could you give me an example of an intern whom you considered outstanding? What did he/she do that made him/her outstanding?

Are interns included in staff programs such as staff meetings, seminars, or training sessions? Do interns observe site visits, or meetings with clients?

Reflect on the responses you receive. After talking with your future supervisor, do you feel excited about the internships, or doubtful? If you are offered the internship and are not sure you want to accept it, make an appointment to meet with your potential supervisor or speak with him/her over the phone to clarify points about which your are uncertain or have concern.

Making the Transition from School to Work

Even if you have had part-time jobs in the past, an internship is a new environment. You are hoping to gain skills, define your career goals, and earn some references. You should take your internship seriously, both in the quality of work you do and what you gain from the experience. Use the opportunity to:

Observe your new environment. What is the atmosphere? How do people dress? How do they relate to each other? The more you observe and understand, the more able you will be to define a working environment and adapt to it. Ask questions. This is the time to learn as much as possible. Mistakes are more easily forgiven in an internship than a job. Never be afraid to clarify if you are unsure about something. Clarify your schedule. Make sure you and your supervisor clearly agree on daily hours, lunch times, and breaks. Arrange days off in advance. Your supervisor will expect you to be on time the days and times agreed upon. This is not a time to attempt to create a flexible schedule for yourself.

Create a Learning Contract

Preparing an Internship learning contract at the start of your internship is a good way to help your and your supervisor take your internship seriously. The contract should clearly define what you both expect to happen during the internship. It allows any misconceptions to be cleared up at the beginning. Discussing the contract with your supervisor is the perfect opportunity to let him/her know what you wish to learn.

During Your Internship Experience

Is your internship on course? Keep your learning goals in mind. Are they still realistic to you and your supervisor? (It is fine to readjust your goals during the course of your internship.) If you are making progress toward your goals, wonderful! If not, you and your supervisor should discuss your concerns and readjust where necessary.

When you think things are not working out. It is possible that your internship will not be what you hoped, despite all the planning you have put into the process. If you are not happy with how your internship is working out, look at your learning goals. If you need help achieving your learning goals, you should speak with your supervisor. Be sure you are diplomatic when speaking about your unhappiness. Your and your supervisor should work together to resolve the issue. Even if you are not entirely happy in your position, if you are learning, you will have gained something from the experience.

Not enough to do? If you quickly finish your projects and are left with time on your hands, let your supervisor know that you are able and willing to do more work or take on more responsibility. If your supervisor does not get back to you, or is too busy to address your needs, this would be a good time to take the initiative and come up with a project for yourself. If you can think of something useful to do that would help you enhance your learning, outline what you would do and approach your supervisor. Never start on a project with out getting permission, however.

Leaving: Make sure all your responsibilities are fulfilled. Tie up any loose ends. If you cannot finish a project, make sure someone else will take it over and brief him or her on what you did. Be sure to ask for a reference.

After you leave, always send a thank you letter after you have left. Be sure to evaluate what you have learned from the experience.

Evaluate Your Internship and Reflect on What You Learned

After your internship has ended, it is important to reflect on what you have learned from the experience. Here are some questions to ask yourself afterward:

What have I learned?

What is my preferred physical work setting?

What is my preferred relationship to colleagues and clients?

What is my preferred work pace?

What is my preferred balance of tasks?

What is my preferred way of being supervised?

What have I learned about myself?

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