Internships & Co-op Employment

Arizona State University

Career Services

Self-Assessment

Research

Reality Testing

Implement Decision

Career Development Process

71percentage of employers who prefer to hire college grads with relevant work experience

- NACE Job Outlook, 2012

The Internship Advantage:

In the words of an ASU intern…

“I view my education as an investment. Interning is one of the most surefire ways to protect and nurture my investment. I’ve gained experience, insight, and expanded my professional network. In this job market, it’s the closest thing you can get to a guarantee on your investment.”

-Amanda, AZ DOA HR Intern

internship defined:• a short-term, hands-on, supervised

work experience with a professional organization related to your career interests OR major

• more than a part-time job or volunteer position, an internship includes intentional learning objectives

• either paid or unpaid; credit- or non-credit- bearing

top 10 reasons to do an internship

10.Develop a professional portfolio!

11.Improve starting salary!

8. Make valuable contacts and references!

top 10 reasons to do an internship

7. Generate employment opportunities!

6. Gain experience and professional skills!

5. Enhance personal development!

top 10 reasons to do an internship

4. Explore professional interests!

3. Develop transferable skills!

2. Develop employability skills!

..and the number one answer is…

1. Gain career-related experience!

what can a ___ major do?

• you can choose to work for 3 types of organizations: business, nonprofit, or government

• to obtain a meaningful internship, identify long-term career interests and find a related organization whose services or products are of interest to you

finding an internship• requires defining careers &

organizations of interest to an employer, “I’m willing to take any

internship” means I have no idea what I really want to do, and, therefore, no commitment

• is competitive!• most employers (76%) report having

fewer than 10 interns/year (do not spend much time advertising/searching for interns)

finding an internship• many intern employers report that

interested students find them

• employers prefer high touch over high tech

• consider employer size…

what do employers seek in interns & college grads?

If you are working on a project with a team, what skills/qualities do YOU want

your teammates to have?

analytical

friendlyinterpersonal

communication

initiative

creativeteamwork

problem solving

computer

detail orientation

adaptability

skills employers

want

preparation

prepare: elevator speech/30-second commercial

“Hi, I’m Jane Doe. I am a biology major with experience working in research labs and using biotech equipment. My analytical skills and detail orientation are my greatest strengths. I am very interested in doing an internship in a research medical laboratory such as TGen.”

prepare: elevator speech/30-second commercial

“Hi, I’m Jane Doe. I am a biology major with experience working in research labs and using biotech equipment. My analytical skills and detail orientation are my greatest strengths. I am very interested in doing an internship in a research medical laboratory such as TGen.”

career services resources

ASU Career Services asu.edu/career• Sun Devil CareerLink (SDCL) features

4,000+ internships/year• career fairs and mixers• on-campus recruiting/interviewing (through

SDCL)• ASU grad stats • individual meetings with career advisors

ASU resources• faculty & internship coordinators• academic department web sites• ASU Community Service Program

(nonprofit internships)• international internships through ASU’s

Center for Global Education Services and EUSA

other resources• indeed.com• LinkedIn/LinkedIn Groups• internships.com• internmatch.com• …others?

other factors to consider• how to overcome monetary issues

• paid vs unpaid internships

• applying for multiple opportunities

• volunteering AND interning

ASU Career Services locations…

The sooner you start, the further you’ll go!

Career Servicesasu.edu/career