Locating and Applying for Internships

Resource Mining

Locating and Applying for Internships

By Amy Marie Charland and Mary Ann Lawson

Article Contents:

Locating and Applying for Internships

Is an Internship for You?

Related Articles:

Internship Timeline

There are many reasons for doing an internship. An internship will allow you to test your career objectives, help you identify your talents and direct you toward an appropriate career, and help you to acquire those essential practical and professional skills you need in the business world.

But finding an internship that will do all that for you takes some thought and preparation. Before setting out to find an internship, ask yourself these questions:

Where do I want to do an internship? My hometown? Out-of-state?
What type of work would I like to do? In what field?
What type of organization would I like to do an internship for?
What do I want to gain from an internship? What specific skills or experiences do I want to acquire?

Locating Opportunities

After you've answered these questions, you're ready to start searching for internships. Here are some suggestions for locating employers and internship opportunities.

Check with your academic adviser to see if your department maintains listings of internship opportunities in your field of study.
Visit your career services office. Many offices have internship listings and may be able to help you locate other resources such as books, employer files and directories, and web sites, such as Career Planit.
Attend job fairs. Employers often use fairs to identify students for internships as well as for full-time employment.
Visit your campus or local library for resources that provide information about internships. Once you find an internship you are interested in, locate additional information about the company so that you can tailor your resume and cover letter to the employer.
Contact the Chamber of Commerce of the city where you would like to work to obtain information about local employers.
Network. Talk with friends, family, co-workers, supervisors, instructors, administrators, and professionals in your field of study, and let them know you are searching for an internship. You never know who might be able to put you in touch with a contact person for an internship opportunity.
Design your own internship. You may find a company that interests you but that doesn't have an internship program. Think about what you would like to gain from the internship and what you have to offer the company in return. Let the company know what your goals are and what you want to learn. If the employer is interested, you can work together to design a list of responsibilities and activities for your internship.

Applying for an Internship

Each employer has its own application process, so find out what the application procedure is for each internship that interests you. What is the deadline? What will the employer need from you to make your application complete? Start the process early.

Many internship opportunities require an application and/or resume. Here are a few tips to get you started:

Use headings, bullets, and bold lettering to highlight important items.
Keep your resume to one page.
Place contact information at the top of your resume. Include your name, current address, and phone number. Consider including your permanent address and phone number so the employer can be sure to reach you.
Consider using an objective near the top of your resume to give it focus. The key is to make the objective general enough to encompass all the opportunities you would consider but specific enough to let the reader know what type of position you seek.
Your education section should include your degree, major and minor, anticipated graduation date, and name and location of the college you are attending. You may also want to include a list of related course work.
Describe your related experience-such as a volunteer job or leadership position-using action verbs.
Visit your career services office for sample resumes and have a career counselor review your resume.

For more information about putting together a resume for an internship, see "The Resume-Internship Connection".

You will also need to write a cover letter to accompany your resume. Here's how to get an employer's attention:

Structure your letter along these lines:
- First paragraph-State your purpose for writing and your interest in the internship opportunity.
- Second paragraph-Highlight your education, experience and personal qualities that you can bring to the position.
- Final paragraph-This is your "action" paragraph. Ask for an interview and let the employer know how you plan to follow up. You may also want to include any contact information that will help the employer contact you for an interview.
- Close-Thank the employer for considering your application.
Make your cover letter reflect your personality and unique qualities while also showing off your great writing skills!
Proofread, proofread, and proofread! Remember that you never get a second chance to make a good first impression.

Many employers also interview internship applicants. For tips on how to succeed in the interview, see "Interviewing for Internships."

Your final task is to select the internship opportunity that is the best match for you. Review your goals for doing an internship and choose the opportunity that best meets those goals.

Keep in mind that finding the right internship takes preparation. For a timeline, click here.

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