Career Services Internship Manuel

Table of ContentsInternship BenefitsTimelineContacting Employers Interview SkillsThank you cardsBefore you accept an internship How to accept/decline an internshipWhat to do if no offer comesProfessional Guidelines Internship report form Career Services Internship GUIDE

Make the Connection to Internships!

Hello & welcome to the Career Services on-line guide to internships. This online guide is meant to prepare you for the internship-seeking phase including how to contact employers, preparing for interviews, accepting or declining an offer, and other guidelines to be successful with finding your internship. Lets begin to Make the Connection to Internships!11 Month prior or within the 1st week of internshipComplete an Internship Report Form and submit it to Career Services(ipfw.edu/offices/career/students/internships.html)

Throughout Internship Semester Maintain appropriate work hours & performance as agreed upon by site supervisor Connect with Career Services via a student appointment at least once during your internshipParticipate in at least one site visit coordinated by IPFW internship coordinator Complete an end-of-semester evaluation and submit it to Career Services with logged work hours (ipfw.edu/offices/career/students/internships.html)

TimelineMake the Connection to Internships!1 to 2 Months prior to internship start dateContinue interviewing and contacting employersWrite acceptance/rejection letter(s) based upon your decisions

It is important to keep the internship coordinator updated on all your contacts, progress and interviews that youre doing. The internship coordinator will only continue to contact employers if its known that youre doing your part as well.

As you interview, dont forget to ask the employers questions that you want to know about their company. You will hopefully get more than one interview and offer so you need to know how to make that decision. Write acceptance and/or rejection letter(s) and send to the employers. Well talk more about these letters later in the presentation.

Once youve accepted an internship then notify the internship coordinator, complete the Internship Report Form, and submit it to Career Services. Dont forget that an internship is like a professional job. You need to dress professionally, show up on time, and adhere to business etiquette and other guidelines put forth by the company. The internship coordinator will contact you and your supervisor for one site-visit during the semester youre interning to ensure both the student and the employer are having a positive experience and its a learning experience.

During the last week of your internship you should complete evaluations which are found online. You complete one about your experience and your supervisor completes one about you.4Timeline

Make the Connection to Internships!3 to 4 Months prior to internship start dateAttend career and internship fairsResearch companies and internship opportunities, and compare to FLSA guidelinesComplete a resume critique with a career counselor and submit a finalized resume to internship coordinatorApply for any open internship positions through JobZone (www.ipfw.edu/jobzone), Indiana INTERNnet (www.indianaintern.net), or by creating an original opportunity with the assistance of Career Services4 to 5 Months prior to internship start dateComplete Internship Program: Interest Form (ipfw.edu/offices/career/students/internships.html)Write out goals & objectives for your internship experiencePrepare a list of companies with whom you would like to internCreate/Update your resumeMeet with a career counselor (bring goals, companies, & resume)2 to 3 Months prior to internship start dateComplete a mock interview with a career counselorCall companies to inquire about internships and interviewsBegin interviewing and follow up with thank you notes

It can take up to 6 months or more to find a full-time professional job. Our goal is to walk you through the job searching process as a student so when graduation nears youre prepared to have a successful job search. Youve probably already completed the Interest Form online, but if not that would be the first thing to do. Once youve completed the online form youll be contacted to meet with a career counselor. The career counselor will help you revise or create a resume, brainstorm goals, and a list of companies to research. There is an internship booklet in the Career Services office which you can use as a workbook for this whole process.

Once you met with a career counselor and updated your resume, its time to meet with the Internship Coordinator. The Internship Coordinator will review your goals, list of companies, and work with you to create action steps to continue on the path of seeking an internship. Every student seeking an internship needs to provide the Internship Coordinator with an electronic copy of your resume. Once the resume is received, then you & the internship coordinator will split up your list of companies to begin contacting. If youre concerned about how to contact companies and what to say to employers, dont worry the internship coordinator can coach you through this.

Once your resume is finished you can also search on JobZone and Indiana INTERNnet for any open positions in which youre interested in applying. The additional list of companies which you developed and split up between you and the internship coordinator should be companies not found on JobZone and Indiana INTERNnet. Its believed that 80% of positions are in the hidden job market, meaning theyre never publicly posted. The list of additional companies is meant to break through the hidden job market by either contacting them to inquire about opportunities or sending a stellar cover letter and resume requesting more information and a chance to meet. Any Career Counselor can assist you with cover letters and what to say to employers, but the internship coordinator will go over any concerns you might have.

As you begin and continue to contact companies and apply for internships you should be hearing responses from employers requesting interviews or a time to meet. Even if the employer asks to meet with you but doesnt use the word interview, still treat it like a formal interview because they want to meet to determine if youll be a good intern for their company. Career Services can help you prepare for the interview. We have mock interview appointments available or if you just have some questions and want to know how to prepare, we can help with that too. Dont forget to send a thank you note to all employers you meet with for interviews.3Contacting Employers Develop a list of companies or organizations thatcould best fulfill your goals.

Make the Connection to Internships!You can review a list of current internship openings through JobZone and Indiana INTERNnet.If you're unsure of what other companies are in the area, here are a few resources to use when doing your research:

Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce Better Business Bureau United Way of Allen County Leadership Fort Wayne Phone Book - Yellow Pages

Now that you know the essential timeline of obtaining and completing an internship, lets back up a bit and talk about how to brainstorm your list of potential companies or industries. Start by trying to complete this statement: It would be so cool to work for. Did you think of one or more companies or industries? If so, write them down. If not, then there are more research avenues to determine relevant companies. Check out JobZone at www.ipfw.edu/jobzone and Indiana INTERNnet at www.indianaintern.net. You can review the list of current internship openings and see if any are of interest to you.

We do recommend you to create an additional list of companies, not on JobZone or Indiana INTERNnet, so we can help you conduct some cold calls to other employers. Check out any of the resources listed here to start your research.

When it comes time to contact companies and inquire about internships there are a few ways to go about this.Write a letter of inquiry (there are samples in the career guide, in the cover letter section) and send it with your resume to the companiesEmail a contact at the companies inquiring about opportunities and your interest in them. Be sure to attach your resume for their review. (there is a sample email cover letter in the career guide, too)Call the company and request to speak to someone regarding internships. Introduce yourself and inquire about internship opportunities for the semester in which youre hoping to intern. If theyre familiar with internships and interested in seeing your resume ask what is the best way to apply. Some may have you apply online through their website first. Be sure to follow-up with the person you spoke with on the phone and thank them for their time. Send him/her a thank you letter and inform them that you did apply online and look forward to hearing from them. Thank you letters are rare, so if you send one then youll really stand out among the crowd.5Interview SkillsTo best equip yourself for an interview you should prepare before, during, and after the interview:

Before:Research the company and the positionPrepare for the actual interview (use the Career Guide, section 8)Practice and relax

After:Follow-up with a thank-you letterThank-you letters can be handwritten, typed, or emailed Use the Career Guide, Cover Letter Section, for an exampleDuring:Greet the interviewer with a firm handshake, make eye contact and smileBe confident, alert, and enthusiasticTake time to reflect before answering a difficult question Be prepared to ask questions at the end of the interviewBe conscious of your body language

Make the Connection to Internships!

After youve made all the phone calls and sent in all your resumes and applications there should be some interview offers. Dont get caught unaware, be sure to prepare for the interview. Career Services offers mock interview appointments which help to reduce the butterflies and provides you with additional questions that the employer might ask.

Its very important to research the company! A common question employers ask is Why do you want to intern with us? and you should provide an answer that relates back to their mission or services. If you answer something like I just want to get some experience they may think, well you can get that experience anywhere why us? Theres more information in the career guides interview section on what to do before during and after the interview.

During the interview make sure youve dressed professionally and smile to the interviewer and the other staff at the company. Be confident and enthusiastic, a lot of employers will hire interns based upon enthusiasm and character thats conveyed during the interview. Make sure you ask questions at the end of the interview (which you should have prepared while doing your research on the company).

After the interview be sure to send thank you letters! Remember this will help you stand out in a crowd. There are guidelines and samples in the cover letter section of the career guide.6Thank You Cards

This is one of the most important yet least used tools in a job search.

The purpose is to establish good will, express appreciation, and/or to strengthen your candidacy.

The basic rule of thumb is to send a letter to everyone who helps you in any way. Thank-you letters should be sent within 24 hours to each contact.

Thank-you letters may be typed, handwritten, or e-mailed.

Make the Connection to Internships!

Here is some more information about writing thank you notes. These samples can be found in the career guide. Thank you letters gives you one more chance to get your name in front of the employers and convey your enthusiasm about possibly interning with them.

Even if youve decided after the interview that you dont want to intern with that company, you should still send a thank you note. They took time out of their day to review your resume and talk with you about their company and internships. Its good karma to at least thank them for their time. Send it within 24 hours either typed, handwritten, or by email.7Deciding on an Internship

Does this internship match my interests and values? Would this qualify as relevant experience?Does this internship help me achieve my career goals?Does this internship meet the FLSA guidelines? Should I wait to hear back from other companies?FLSA Guidelines: wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEGL/TEGL12-09acc.pdf Quick Facts about FLSA: www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.pdf NY Times article with additional information: www.nytimes.com/2010/04/03/business/03intern.html?pagewanted=1Make the Connection to Internships!

So how do you decide if this internship is a good one? Review the goals you wrote at the beginning of the process, you should have recorded them in the internship booklet. Does this internship match your goals? Was there anything said during the interview that made you lean one way or the other? When they described the duties you would be doing for the internship, are they related to your major?

If youre unsure about any of these, talk to the internship coordinator in Career Services for assistance with analyzing your options.

The other thing you should be aware of is the implications of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) with internships. The Fair Labor Standards Act was developed by the US Department of Labor and describes the difference between duties for an unpaid trainee (or intern) and a paid employee. These links provide you with more information about the guidelines and there is also information in the Internship Booklet provided by IPFW Career Services. Know this: the majority of for-profit employers should provide their interns with compensation for the work they do, by at least minimum wage or a salary comparable to their current pay-practices. The only way a for-profit company would have an unpaid internship is if the program follows the 6 guidelines outlined by the FLSA. Non-profit organizations are different since they do not have a bottom line of profit and any money that is made from unpaid interns are used towards additional services to their clients.

This may seem complicated, but remember that its not your responsibility to tell employers about the FLSA. Your responsibility is to yourself and to bring questions to the internship coordinator if youre unsure about an unpaid internship. You have rights too, and we want to make sure youre not taken advantage of.8

How to Accept or Decline an Internship Offer

Please refer to the Cover Letter section in our Career Guide (available at http://new.ipfw.edu/dotAsset/213057.pdf or in KT 109)or contact Career Services for help with writing your acceptance or rejection letter Make the Connection to Internships!

Youve done your research and are certain this internship is right for you and you want to commit a full semester to learning more hands-on relevant experience related to your major. GREAT! Its time to write the acceptance letter. These are very simple and short messages conveying your acceptance of the position.

If you received multiple offers and you need to decline one or more, then be sure to write a rejection letter to that employer. Be careful not to be overly open about your reason for declining, because if you want to consider them in the future youll want them to have a professional impression of you. Also, remember that employers talk to each other and you dont want to risk a negative letter to be shared within their networks.

Be sure to follow the business letter format guidelines when writing either letter. There are samples in the career guide in the cover letter section.10

What to Do if No Offer Comes

Ask companies if you may follow up with them within the next weekIf you do not hear from companies within a week call/email to inquire about the status of their decisionContinue researching other internship opportunities

Continue preparing for interviewsMake the Connection to Internships!

Job Searching is like one continuous cycle until you achieve the job offer. If you arent receiving any offers then you have a few options.

Ask the companies if you may follow up with them within a weekMost are open to this and it reminds the companies of your name and that youre eager to work for them. This characteristic speaks very highly to employers. Never challenge or question their process of hiring, but it is okay to inquire about the timeline for hire and restate your interest.

If you dont hear from companies within a week of interviewing, call or email to inquire about the status of their decisionThe previously stated benefits of following up are still true. But, if the employer adamantly states that they will contact you then please be respectful of their wishes.

Continue with the search processKeep researching other companies, applying for openings on JobZone and Indiana INTERNnet, and preparing for interviews. The searching process doesnt end until you have an offer in hand.11Professional Guidelines

M A I N T A I NP R O F E S S I O N A L I S MArrive on time everydayKnow and follow company dress codesDo not get on Facebook or other social networking sites while at workPut your cell phone on silent; dont text message during work hours Dont use company resources for personal useNo matter how bad of a day you had at your internship, DO NOT post negative comments about the company or its employees on the internetMake the Connection to Internships!

Remember that an internship is a professional position. About 60% of interns are offered full-time positions by their company and another 20% are offered a position by a company with whom they networked during the internship. So, if you have an 80% chance of getting a job offer, make sure to take full advantage of the internship process. (click) We dont want you to be in the category of interns that do not get job offers. Usually the job offers wont come if there is a lack of professionalism.

So, remember these tips so you dont hang yourself during the internship. (click)Arrive on time everydayKnow and follow company dress codesDo not get on Facebook or other social networking sites while at workPut your cell phone on silent; dont text message during work hours Dont use company resources for personal useNo matter how bad of a day you had at your internship, DO NOT post negative comments about the company or its employees on the internet12

Internship Report Form

Please complete the Internship Report Form and submit it to Career Servicesipfw.edu/offices/career/students/internships.html

Make the Connection to Internships!

Dont forget one of the requirements is to submit the Internship Report Form to the Internship Coordinator in Career Services. This usually is completed within the first week of the internship. If this is not submitted then IPFW cannot validate your internship.

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Make the Connection to Internships!Congratulations!TAKE THE QUIZ

https://purdue.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_exnC2Z49bGGOtOQ

Congratulations you made it through the online internship prep guide. Now click on this link to take the quiz and record your completion of this task in your internship booklet provided to you by Career Services. Dont forget to connect back with the internship coordinator or a career counselor to show your progress and continue on the path to finding an internship.14