How do I get an Internship?

True or false? Your part-time jobs during college will have little impact on getting in to your eventual career. The answer is FALSE. Part-time work experience, leadership in student organizations, volunteer work, and class projects all contribute to your employability. Participating in at least one internship between your sophomore year and graduation will improve your chances of entering your chosen field even more. Another way to look at the importance of internship experience: Internships are to full-time jobs as dating is to marriage.

Before you can obtain a meaningful internship, you need to complete several steps in your career development process that will help you to identify the type of experience you want and will start you on your career path.

Who am I? - See the section of this website that pertains to self-assessment and identifying your skills, interests, personality type, values, etc.

What are my career choices? - See the section of this website that assists you with making decisions about your career and major. You will need a goal before you can proceed.

How do I Clarify My Goal?

• Identify a field of interest
• Define the type of work you want to do within that field of interest (If you want to work for a sports team, your focus could be writing, media relations, athletic training, marketing, finance, statistics, or human resources)
• Decide whether there is a specific organization or geographic location where you’ve always wanted to work
• Check with your academic advisor regarding potential sites and appropriate learning objectives
• If you aren’t sure what you want to do, schedule an appointment with a career counselor (970-351-2127)

How can Career Services Assist Me?

Meet with a career counselor to:

• Identify your career goal
• Learn how to prepare your resume
• Practice interviewing
• Learn how use effective strategies and resources
• Guide you in networking
• Show you how to utilize the internet
• Write learning objectives for your desired internship position
• Advise you on how to make your internship a success

Where do Internship Opportunities Exist?

Internships are available in all fields. To find out about current or future openings, check out:

• Internship listings on the Career Services web page
• Network with friends, family, and acquaintances
• Books, such as The Internship Bible, in the Career Resource Center
• Career Fairs
• Announcements posted by faculty in the department of your major
• Career Services presentations on how to find an internship
• Web sites of organizations in which you are interested

Career Services can assist you with creating an internship that meets your needs if you can’t find one already in existence.

What are the Resources Available to Apply for Internships?

• Network with Career Services for direct referral of your resume to employers
• On-campus recruiting - view schedule and sign up for interviews through Career Services Online
• Job/Internship Fairs - learn how to make a career fair work for you
• Informational interviews/networking/direct contact with employers
• Internet sites, such as Rising Star Internships for internships in all areas and Idealist, which lists internship opportunities with non-profit organizations
• An example of a regional internship search site is: Kama ` ania Careers

How do I Obtain Academic Credit for an Internship?

Check with your department or academic advisor BEFORE you set up your internship to find out:

• Can I get credit for it?
• What paperwork do I need to complete?
• How many hours per week do I need to work?
• Are there other requirements I need to fulfill?