Gaining experiences gives you experience in your chosen career field and can help you decide if certain careers are right for you. Internships provide you the opportunity to meet and network with professionals in the career field you want to pursue.
Internships
Finding an Internship
Questions to Ask Yourself:
- Why do you want an internship?
- What type of internship do you want? OR What types of skills are you trying to develop? OR What are your goals after graduation?
- What is a realistic location for the internship?
- Do you need a paid internship or can it be unpaid?
- What is your schedule and how will an internship fit?
- What organizations are you interested in and what do you know about them?
Consider All Options
Many outstanding opportunities exist in the nonprofit and small business sectors for students of all academic backgrounds. Some steps to consider taking in searching for an Internship are to:
- Browse through Handshake for internships/career exploration opportunities
- Search other internship listings and unique Gustavus opportunities using the resources and online tools below
- Meet with a Career Development staff member (To schedule an appointment, call 507-933-7575 or stop by Career Development)
- Give yourself plenty of time to find, apply to and interview for internships! It may take longer than you think.
Many times organizations don’t post internships, but that doesn’t mean that they don’t host interns. If you find yourself interested in organizations, reach out.
After you’ve narrowed down and researched organizations it’s time to make the initial contact, this can be done by phone or email. Below walks you through an example of calling an organization. When you call be prepared to tell them the reason for your call.
- “Hi, my name is Riley Smith and I am calling about a potential internship for next semester. Who may I speak to about this?
Once you have the correct person on the phone, offer a short introduction and state the reason for your call:
- “I am a junior psychology major at Gustavus Adolphus College and plan to work in a counseling environment someday. I am hoping to explore the career and gain experience through an internship. Do you host undergraduate interns?”
Ask what you need to do to apply to the position.
- “Where should I send my resume and cover letter?”
- “Do you know the time frame for interviews?” or “When might I expect to hear back from you?”
Inform them whether or not you would like to do the internship for credit. Some organizations may require that you receive credit for your experience.
Be as flexible as you can with their dates and schedule. Since most internships are part-time it’s best to try and work around your class schedule after you’ve been offered the position.
