Locating
an Internship
by ResumeEdge.com
- The Net's Premier Resume Writing and Editing Service
Because 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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