Searching for an internship is a lot like looking for a job. With that being said, many college students are still uncomfortable with this process due to the fact that they are inexperienced. Following a few simple steps can make it much easier to find a program that fits you.
For starters, contact your college's career center to figure out what possibilities they know about in your area. Many companies usually send information about their internship programs to local colleges, making this an easy way to find out about your options.
Like many jobseekers have found out, finding work is often about who you know. Internships are the same way. This means that it's important to ask anyone you know who works for a business you'd be interested in interning at if they know about any openings. You'd be surprised how much social networking can help when it comes time to find work.
Many would-be interns make the mistake of only applying to one program because they are concerned about having to turn down other companies. This can cause a huge problem if the program they were hinging their hopes on does not offer them a positions. To avoid this, you should always send out applications to several different companies. Even if you don't get to work for your top choice, any internship is better than none.
Anyone serious about finding an internship program to participate in should also consider having their career center look over their application. By doing this, you can avoid many small mistakes that could easily get you excluded from that year's batch of interns.
Another important thing that anyone wanting to intern should do is make sure that they secure several good letters of recommendation. Some of the best people for you to ask include past and present professors who your have a good relationship with, the person who oversaw any volunteer work you've done and religious leaders. All of these individuals are viewed as good judges of character when it comes to interns, but including at least recommendation letter from someone in academia is the best method.
Following these steps should make it much easier for any student to find an internship program, which will make it a lot less difficult when it comes time to find an entry level job.
Employers Less Likely to Hire Interns, Entry Level Applicants this Year
With a slowing economy, employers are currently less likely to hire interns and employees for entry-level jobs than in previous years.
MonsterTRAK's annual survey of college students, graduates and employers revealed that only 59 percent of employers planned on hiring 2008 spring and summer graduates, a decrease of 17 percent from last year. At the same time, 29 percent of employers were unsure of whether or not to hire interns, nearly twice as many as in 2007.
It was noted that 85 percent of employers that did plan to hire interns or entry-level workers would offer an equal amount or more positions than in 2007, and one-third of employers planned on increasing entry-level salaries by 1 to 5 percent.
The survey also revealed that despite the status of the economy, students are remaining positive about their chances to grab an internship or entry-level job, as 73 percent of students expect to receive two or more offers by graduation.
Of the students surveyed, 81 percent ranked job growth opportunities as being important, 79 percent ranked personal fulfillment highly and only 57 percent ranked salary as being important.
While remaining optimistic, students are having a hard time getting out on their own, according to an article on BNET. While last year's survey showed 22 percent of 2007 graduates planned to move back home for more than six months, 43 percent are still living at home this year. Also, 42 percent of students have a student loan debt higher than $25,000 and 33 percent have credit card balances higher than $5,000.
The reason some students may not be finding work is the difference in opinions between students and employers as to what is most important. The survey revealed 43 percent of employers think personal characteristics are most important, while only 19 percent of graduates think the same. Also, 48 percent of students think relevant work experience is the most important item, while only 21 percent of employers agreed.
Employers also noted that some student behavior during interviews can result in adverse hiring decisions, such as a general lack of professionalism, wearing inappropriate attire and arriving late. Most employers also expect a thank-you note, while 28 percent of students didn't follow up with employers in 2007.
Internships(Click here) are designed to give college students much needed real-life work experience. Instead of handing a potential employer a resume filled with academic achievement and club affiliations, those who intern are able to distinguish themselves from the rest of recent graduates because they know a little bit more about working.
Although this may be enough reason to intern in itself, the best thing an internship can do is set up with a job for after you graduate before you even get your degree. Most employers use their internship programs as unofficial recruitment programs. That means they are scanning their interns hoping that a few of them will show talent that is much needed in the office. Because of this, it is important to distinguish yourself while interning. This is especially true if you're involved in a rather large program and are having to compete for the possibility of a job offering.
One way to do this is to avoid the common mistakes that many interns make. For starters, show up on time all the time. If you think you're going to be late, then it's best to call ahead and let someone in your department know. Although this may draw attention to the fact that you're late, rather than sneaking in unnoticed, it also allows managers to see that you're responsible enough to be concerned about being at work when you should be. Most employers understand that mistakes happen and won't hold being late against you as long as you don't make a habit of it and are conscientious enough to call an alert someone.
Aside from showing up on time, avoid dressing like a refugee. Many employers complain that college students have no sense of professional dress. The best way to avoid this and other wardrobe faux-pas is to take a look at what those above you on the corporate ladder are wearing and follow suit.
Many interns make the problem of doing just what they're asked to do. If competing for the possibility for a job offering, it's best to go above and beyond. Instead of asking to leave early if you've finished all your work ahead of time, ask if there is anything else you can help out with. This let's employers know that you're a team player and are willing to take on responsibility.
Another important thing to do is get to know those you work with. Networking is especially important and business. The individuals you work with have more experience and can, therefore, teach you many things. There is also always the possibility that one of these individuals may end up leaving the company you're interning with and work for another employer you may be interested in down the road. If that's the case, then the relationship you built during your internship could once again serve you well by helping you to get your foot in the door with another company.
For some students an internship may be a requirement or a job, but for others, an internship can serve as a lifelong learning tool and possibly even lead to a career.
Because of this, it is important for employers to be aware of what potential interns will expect from an internship, notes Penny Loretto in an About.com article.
"Developing a quality internship program within your organization is key to utilizing the wide range of talent that undergraduate and graduate college students possess," she states. "These students comprise the workforce of tomorrow and by offering them opportunities to gain experience while still in college, organizations will improve their odds of hiring competent, intelligent, and experienced professionals who are ready to take over when management and skilled employees retire."
In November and December 2007, more than 100 colleges and 12,000 students participated in the Northeast Internship Study, conducted by Intern Bridge and the Eastern Association of Colleges and Employers. The purpose of the study was to gather information about students' expectations and experiences with internships.
Of the students that participated in the study, 41.8 percent had completed an internship and 88 percent said they planned to take part in an internship as part of their college experience. Also, 64.1 percent said they believed taking part in an internship is a critical component to planning their career. Summer internships were the most popular, with 56.6 percent completing a summer internship.
The top four reasons for pursuing an internship were: gaining real work experience at 74.5 percent, building a resume at 65.7 percent, learning new skills at 65.3 percent and making new connections or networking at 59.9 percent.
Of those who had completed an internship, 70.4 percent said they would return to the organization for another internship, 64.2 percent said they would return for full-time employment and 80.2 percent said they would recommend the internship.
Of the respondents, 35.4 percent completed an internship for credit, while 58.6 percent received monetary compensation. Also, 58.5 percent said internships are mandatory to receive a degree.
Loretto says there are some things employers can do, based on the survey, to help interns complete a successful internship. Among them, employers should: provide meaningful work assignments, give an orientation, provide supervision, market to employees and colleges, stress the interview and selection process and, if possible, offer some sort of compensation.
You just graduated from high school or college and are looking for an internship. Where do you look? The most logical place would be the internet. And there are a lot of great websites.
CollegeGrad is a great place to start. They offer you the ability to search jobs in your area of interest. They have a wide range of jobs from working with a major league baseball teams to being a drug councilor. If you are looking for an internship job you should start there first. They list both US and Canadian jobs. Another great feature is you can post your resume on there for potential employers, and it’s free. Collegegrad.com also lets you search jobs and see the details without registering. So it makes a search fast and easy.
The next highest page ranking site is InternshipPrograms.com. It is also free to use and you don't have to register to search jobs. It’s mostly based on the US market, but does have some international jobs. InternshipPrograms.com allows you to also search by the most popular, by company name, and US city. Plus there site loads fairly quickly, another plus. I don’t think they have the job database that CollegeGrad.com has, but if you’re looking for international, this would be your site.
After College seems to be a popular one. This one has both Canadian and US internships. Plus it seems to have a wealth of internships available. It is also free to use and you don’t need to register to search jobs.
And remember if you really want an internship somewhere, go in. Bring a resume and try to sell yourself. You may be just what they were looking for, or you may create an opportunity for them to hire you. At least you tried. And by trying and being professional you are on your way to your career.
An internship can be defined as a volunteer position with a not-for-profit organization or it can be a paid position with a Fortune 500 company. Typically, however, an internship is a supervised learning experience where one offers time and energy in a professional setting and role as a temporary employee.
In other words, internships extend only for a limited time. An internship is often arranged via a college degree program or other academic venue, but, not always. In addition, an internship intends to depart actual work experience to participants. In exchange, the intern is expected to provide his or her own time, talent, and pre-professional knowledge in the work environment. An internship is intended to extend the actual learning experience to other real world environments.
One thing most all internship programs have in common is oversight. The purpose of the professional supervision is to ensure that the intern is gaining the experience that is related to the education. That the position furthers the goal of gaining professional on-the-job experience is usually necessary if student will be awarded some type of experiential credit for the effort. If not, the company likely will provide some type of mentor in the actual work environment in the event of questions. There usually are certain learning objectives associated with the experience.
There are also internships, which can be attained outside the world of academia; these are typically the paid positions. They are best suited to individuals curious about a potential career change or other employment related move. Similar to temp jobs, an internship is generally of a limited time span.
This is not always the situation but does seem the general rule. An internship can be of two varieties, paid and unpaid. In academic settings, interns usually receive some type of paid compensation, except for those internships within non-profit organizations. Typically, the not-for-profit internships are designed as volunteer positions and receive no monetary compensation.
An internship can provide a different sort of classroom for expanding your learning; it can help you explore and test hunches about a career field; it can build your resume and launch your career. An internship can provide a different sort of classroom for expanding your learning; it can help you explore and test hunches about a career field; it can build your resume and launch your career.
The purpose and value associated with any type of internship is beyond the scope of this article, however, suffice to suggest everyone gains from the experience. If you are considering a career change, an internship will provide valuable insight to the actual on the job responsibilities and tasks associated with a new job or position.
An internship can easily set one's career on the right track. By gaining valuable working experience while in college, many students have found themselves able to find better employment post-graduation. The difficultly comes in finding the right kind of internship to fit one's goals and deciding between one's options.
Before looking for internships one should outline their interest and professional goals. One should also be aware of the amount of time they will be able to commit to the position. Many internships require that one work a certain number of hours a week. If one can not fulfill that criteria, then that options should be eliminated from their list.
Getting outside input can also make the decision easier. After outlining one's career goals, it is a good idea to schedule an appointment with an academic adviser. These individuals are extremely knowledgeable in their chosen fields and are often know about options that one might not have considered. If one already has a list of they are considering, an adviser will most likely be able to say which would look best when listed on a resume.
In your job search, it is extremely important to remember to start searching early. There are countless number of students all looking for positions and therefore the good ones get snatched up quickly. One should also apply for more than one position. This way one will have a better pool of options from which to pick. Additionally, with background checks becoming more and more of an issue, make sure your digital footprint is clean.
A source that can help one come up with companies to apply for internships with is The Princeton Review's Best Entry-Level Jobs. A large majority of the companies listed offer internships to students. According to the writers, Rob Lieber and Tom Meltzer, the businesses listed were chosen because The Princeton Review “wanted to find places where people were happy, engaged with their work, nicely compensated, well positioned for advancement, getting great preparation for graduate school or benefiting from any combination of these things.” Many of the companies listed in the 2008 edition often recruit their interns after they have finished their education.
Over the past couple of years, I have reflected on this topic, but never put anything down on paper: What is an education worth? With the rising costs of college and universities, is it really worth taking an education to the next level and obtaining the certification. Or is it more practical in taking the hands-on approach and learning from someone through either internships or on the job training?
A good friend of mine, Lauren, recently graduated with a Master's Degree in Architecture from the University of Georgia. Since graduating, Lauren secured an entry level job within a firm located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, with a salary of $42,000. Her interest began in high school when she had an interest in art and became more involved with design and structure. After graduating with a 4.2, she then too the next step at the University of Miami and graduated with a degree in Architecture four years later. Her self quote throughout this experience has been “work hard, play hard”, which goes to show that hard work does pay off.
Now, take myself for example. Throughout high school I enrolled in various business courses. Therefore, my junior and senior year, I was given the opportunity to enroll in the Business Technology program. While in that program, I took advantage of the opportunity to mentor individuals at various businesses.
By the time I graduated, I secured employment within a financial firm and was given the opportunity to work along side a financial advisor. While in this position, I utilized my knowledge and used my skills to obtain my next job working alongside a Certified Public Accountant during tax season. It is now seven years later, and I have extensive experience working within an accounting firm, as well as a law firm. I have been told that my experience is extremely marketable because you do not find many people who have a legal background as well as a financial background, let alone someone who has this experience without a college education and presently making $37,000.00 annually.
Getting back to my main question, what is an education worth? I have shown you two examples of successful individuals, one who has an advanced college education and another who simply has a high school diploma. To my knowledge, there really isn't a right or wrong answer to this topic.
Lauren, simply wanted to become an architect and in order to do so, she needed the proper schooling for the right jobs. When asked if she regrets what she did and if she should have gone into something else, she told me "the loans are a killer, but I love what I do." I on the other hand, have gotten where I am today by observing and learning hands on.
If I hadn't taken advantage of the technology program and mentorships, I probably would have gone to a college of some sort and obtained a degree, but I’m not sure in what. I love business and when I go to work everyday, I am faced with a challenge of numbers. So there you have it, two individuals, two different learning experiences and both are happy with what they do everyday - college isn't for everyone.
In the context of unabated talent shortages in the foreseeable future, organizations will be well served by focusing on optimizing the benefits brought in by the interns they receive via recruiting efforts.
The urge does not stem from the employerss capacity to make immediate productive use of the intern during his/her tenure (e.g. to get the individual to produce revenue, reduce cost). Instead, we see internships as a key variable to the development of the employee value proposition, which is the pillar of an organization's employment branding efforts.
Naturally, there are a few preconditions for interns to become an additional source of branding intelligence and execution. These vary in focus but are not necessarily complex or involved:
Internship attraction: Organizations should be keen to update or enrich their careers websites with information regarding work experience with them. The message herein will be similar in breadth as that included for potential employees (program details, types available, benefits of joining, pre-requisites, online applications, email or RSS alerts to stay in touch).
Intern Induction: No need to go overboard with an all day program or heavy investments. Induction can consist of a session with basics details ranging from the general logistics and administrivia, through to key contacts, settings of expectations on each side, and the opening up of the communication/feedback channels (more below)
On-site responsibilities: If the highlight of the day for an intern is to stuff envelopes, wander the intranet or ‘see what's needed that morning', stop praying because miracles will not happen. The existence of an intern role description, however general, will have a positive impact in creating more focused effort and purpose in an individual who - by definition - needs a compass. This, as stated earlier, is not aimed at deriving short term gains but enhancing the intern's experience throughout the tenure
Communication and feedback: Whether an intern is having the time of his life or utterly bored and unhappy, organizations must want to know about the individual's impression of the experience as it unveils. This opens the opportunity for immediate adjustment of responsibilities and/or expectations; and the subsequent enhancement of the employment branding message to attract interns in the future.
Exit interviews: Gathering overall impressions from the intern at the end of the period should be a key activity of risk management In all likelihood, this is the core message to conveyed by the individual about the experience with the organization to his/her network
In the end, interns will be outsiders again; their unencumbered impressions may translate into compelling references for your organization, for good or bad.
