Locating an Internship
by ResumeEdge.com - The Net's Premier Resume Writing and
Editing ServiceBecause internships can take on so many guises-from the formal to the informal,
the paid to the unpaid-finding the one that is right for you might seem like a Herculean task. The
possibilities seem, and nearly are, endless. Many potential interns begin the process feeling
overwhelmed as they try to prioritize their search in terms of interest, function, location, prestige,
amenities, hours, and pay. The article below will guide you through the thought process and steps
characteristic of a successful internship search.
Your First Step : Reflection
My first recommendation is to forgo centering your search on the eye-catching but superficial qualities
of prestige, amenities, hours, and pay. Instead, concentrate on the opportunity to perform substantive
work in a field of choice. Undergraduates in particular, often don't give enough consideration to what
field really interests them. They prefer instead to apply to a range of internships, usually those
listed in popular internship "bibles," because they believe that practically any internship with a
large company in a metropolitan area will provide them with "direction" and a valuable, marketable
experience.
While internship bibles and guides can play an important role in locating an internship that fits your
unique ambitions and character, you can make the most of your internship search by first thinking
carefully about your ambitions and goals. This kind of reflection will often narrow your search
considerably. For example, instead of applying for every paid internship with every company you can
find, you might apply only to advertising firms. Likewise, if you are interested in the public sector,
instead of applying to every prominent foundation and organization, you might apply only to those
focusing on election reform. Thinking about your goals BEFORE you begin your internship search will
give you the confidence not to waste time and energy seeking internships in which you have no genuine
interest.
Starting the Search : Survey the Scene
Once you have narrowed your search to a particular field (health care policy) or function (accounting),
survey the scene. Visit a local bookstore or library and dedicate an afternoon to looking through
internship directories, or "bibles." Publications like The Internship Bible, America's Top Internships,
The National Directory of Internships, and Peterson's Internships, are valuable because they offer you
an opportunity to scan internships by field and-or location. You might also pull books off the shelves
that refer to careers in your area of interest. Sometimes, internship information is included in these
books. Even if it isn't, you might, for example, walk away with a list of companies doing advertising
work for record labels. Take notes on possibilities that pique your interest, but use this exercise to
give your search a foundation, not a conclusion.
You might also survey the scene online by visiting prominent internship sites like WetFeet.com and
MonsterTrak.com (formerly JobTrak). These sites will offer you up-to-date information about internship
opportunities and will be more comprehensive than printed guides, which often focus on prominent and
established programs rather than on start-ups, non-profits, and small businesses.
Going the Distance : Networking
Once you have an idea of what opportunities are available, your work begins in earnest. Unless you are
interested in a very narrow field, you probably have a variety of programs and opportunities to choose
from. Networking can help you uncover hidden gems and narrow the programs to which you will apply.
Networking, while the word sounds formal, can be nothing more than asking professors and peers about
their experiences and recommendations. Asking for advice from a career counselor at your school or
attending a job fair is an obvious place to start, but few internship seekers branch out to network
with the people who are most familiar to them: parents, older siblings, fellow alumni, roommates, and
friends of friends. If you are currently enrolled at an academic institution, consult professors,
section leaders, and researchers affiliated with programs close to your field. You might be surprised
how eager people are to talk with you and offer you advice.
You should also mention your internship search when striking up conversations. Informal dialogues have
the distinction of being the most overlooked (and the most fertile) avenue for internship seekers. For
example, you might find out that a friend's parent works at a prominent think-tank and is looking for a
summer research assistant. Your friend will not only be able to put you in direct contact with his
parent, but provide the "personal touch" that often makes all the difference. Likewise, the gentleman
in the suit seated next to you on your flight home for Spring Break with the WSJ logo on his carry-on
might be able to hook you up with the internship of your dreams! Share the fact you are searching with
everyone you meet.
Networking offers you the opportunity not only to get the inside scoop on prominent internships, but to
discover internships that you didn't even know existed.
Improvisation : Internships Out-of-the-Box
While "bibles"tell you what internships are the most popular and networking will alert you to
unpublicized internship opportunities, these avenues still overlook a source of incredibly rewarding
internships: those that are intern-initiated. For those willing to think outside of the box, the
rewards can be staggering.
By "intern-initiated," I mean that you should not limit your search simply to programs that exist.
Although intern-initiated internships are often unpaid, they often reap greater dividends in terms of
experience and "fit" because you, yourself, shaped the parameters of your experience.
If, in the course of your research, you come across organizations or companies that capture your
interest, approach them and offer your skills and time in exchange for your ability to learn more about
their work. You might offer the firm evidence that you have particular experiences or values that the
firm can use. Consider proposing a specific project or area of interest that you would like to pursue.
Be transparent about what you hope to gain from your internship and talk about what you hope to learn
from your time with the firm. The fact that you are there to learn, as well as to work, distinguishes
you (particularly in the public sector) from someone who is merely volunteering their time.
If you aren't sure how you would arrive at ideas for intern-initiated internships, you might just start
reading trade journals in your area of interest and keep your eyes open as you go through your daily
routine. Reading about your industry, for example, will not only give you a sense of where your
ambitions might be headed, but it will offer you the names of companies that are doing cutting-edge
work, or that are active in your area. If the company has exciting entry-level positions, you might
approach them with an internship proposal that might train you for those positions. Similarly, if you
live and work in Los Angeles and happen to read an article in the Los Angeles Times about how the mayor
is starting a civil rights commission, you might approach the mayor's office and ask for the staff
member in charge of the commission. You might explain how you have a special interest in civil rights,
are bilingual, and are writing your senior thesis on police brutality. Could you observe the commission
at work and do outreach into the Hispanic community? They answer might just be, "Yes."
Once you open your mind to the possibilities of an intern-initiated experience, chances are you will be
pursuing at least one or two opportunities that you have come up with entirely on your own.
Narrowing the Field : Before You Apply
If you have done your homework well, you will have a number of opportunities before you. Most likely
you will have several "piles" of information: the formal internship programs that are widely published
and have firm deadlines and requirements; internships you located online some of which you have
detailed information and others for which you need to place calls; information on companies or
organizations with whom you are interested in working but have to formal internship program; and a
stack of business cards, cocktail napkins, and email that are a result of your "networking."
Narrow your search by combing through this material and making decisions about which opportunities to
pursue. Recenter your thought process on the opportunity to perform substantive work in a field of
choice. Even if your interests have shifted since you began the process, try to stay focused on what
internships offer you the best opportunity to do the kind of work you are most interested in doing.
This is also the time to begin factoring in components like location and pay, if you haven't done so
already. Be honest about where you want to be and whether you can afford to work for free. Remember to
explore options like living at home, taking out a loan, or obtaining funding from an outside source. If
the work you are interested in doesn't pay or isn't in New York City, but you are committed to that
work, then sacrifices might be in order. Maybe living at home in the suburbs but commuting into
downtown is an acceptable compromise.
If you refuse to work in the Midwest, however, don't apply for an internship in Milwaukee no matter how
great the internship sounds. This comment might seem obvious, but so many internship seekers apply to
internships they would never accept unless it was a "last resort." Many applicants also harbor the
mistaken impression that internships that they are less interested in (those that are in less desirable
locations or that don't pay), are somehow "easier" to get. The result is that seekers spread themselves
too thin and don't end up following through. Keep in mind that most internships are equally
competitive. Just because you don't really want to work in Des Moines doesn't mean that there aren't
lots of people who do (and who will show up for an in-person interview!)
Sort through your piles and create a single, manageable pile of internships that you would actually
accept if they were offered to you. Begin to gather all the information you will need to apply to those
internships. For companies that you are interested in, but which you are not sure offer internships,
find a phone number or an email address for a recruiter and make contact. If you don't get through or
don't get a response, keep trying. Make sure you have a list of deadlines, qualifications, and required
materials. Complete your research early. Your foresight will ensure that when you sit down to actually
apply that you have all the information you need.
Good Luck!
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