INTERNSHIPS FOR THE WORKING STUDENT:

A WEBINAR FOR COMMUTING STUDENTS

The Career CenterHofstra University

INTRODUCTIONS

Suzanne DaggerDirector of Career ServicesLiaison to the School of Education, Health

and Human Services

Chaundra DanielsAssistant Director of Employer Relations Liaison to the School of Business

5 FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Question 1: What is an internship? ANDWhy and when should I do one?

Question 2: What types of internships are there?

Question 3: How do I find an internship?

Question 4: How do I make the most of my internship?

Question 5: How can The Career Center help me?

Question 1

WHAT IS AN INTERNSHIP?WHY & WHEN SHOULD I DO ONE?

AN INTERNSHIP IS…

A short-term practical experience in a career field of interest

AN INTERNSHIP IS…

National Association of Colleges and EmployersPOSITION STATEMENT ON U.S. INTERNSHIPS

The experience must be an extension of the classroom: a learning experience that provides for applying the knowledge gained in the classroom. It must not be simply to advance the operations of the employer or be the work that a regular employee would routinely perform.

The skills or knowledge learned must be transferable to other employment settings.

The experience has a defined beginning and end, and a job description with desired qualifications.

There are clearly defined learning objectives/goals related to the professional goals of the student’s academic coursework.

There is supervision by a professional with expertise and educational and/or professional background in the field of the experience.

There is routine feedback by the experienced supervisor. There are resources, equipment, and facilities provided by the host

employer that support learning objectives/goals.

YOU SHOULD INTERN TO…

Explore a possible career field Gain an understanding of the professional work

environment Get an inside view of an industry and organization/company Build on your knowledge and skills Increase confidence in your own abilities Make professional connections and enhance your network Add to your resume and references

If you are working, does your current job meet some or all of this criteria?

YOU CAN DO AN INTERNSHIP…

Freshman Year - leave yourself a semester to adjust to college life

Sophomore and Junior Year - great time for an internship

Senior Year - better late than never, in fact, some seniors intern the summer following graduation

Fall, Spring, or Summer – depends on availability and preference

At least once during your college years, more if possible!

Question 2

WHAT TYPES OF INTERNSHIPS ARE THERE?

TYPES OF INTERNSHIPS…

Internships vary from industry to industry and from one organization to another but typically they are one of the following:

Paid – That would be nice!

Unpaid – According to NACE's 2010 Student Survey the median accepted salary offer for seniors with an internship was $45,301 -- nearly 31 percent higher than the $34,601 median accepted salary offer to non-intern seniors.

Credit – Dependent upon your academic department.

Question 3

HOW DO I FIND AN INTERNSHIP?

TAKE THESE STEPS THROUGH THE INTERNSHIP PROCESS…

Find a Focus

Search For Internship Opportunities

Prepare Resume & Cover Letter

Interview and Choose

FIND A FOCUS

Career Field – Which industry or career field do you want to target?

Choose by major (ex: marketing, finance, accounting)

Choose by field (ex: sports, entertainment, green)

Choose by employer (ex: KPMG, Disney, Enterprise)

SEARCH FOR OPPORTUNITIES

ONLINE RESOURCES: The Pride Career Management System (PrideCMS) – view

hundreds of postings Internships.com - Thousands of current internship listings Vault – Career Guides, Company Profiles, Postings, more The Career Center Website – Suggested Websites Search and apply directly with employers on their websites Foundation Guide to Grants - funding

STAY CONNECTED: The Career Center - Facebook, Twitter, Weekly/Monthly Emails

and Newsletters

SEARCH FOR OPPORTUNITIES

PROGRAMS AND NETWORKING EVENTS: PrideRecruiting The Career Center Job & Internship Fairs Employer & Alumni Events Ask your academic department, faculty, advisors Use your personal and/or professional network –

Create a profile on LinkedIn

PREPARE YOUR RESUME &COVER LETTER

View a Resume Webshop or use the Career Planning Handbook to draft a resume

Have your resume and cover letter critiqued during Quick Question Hours Monday – Thursday 2-4 PM Friday – 11 AM – 1 PM

INTERVIEW AND CHOOSE

Interview – Practice and Prepare Attend an Interview To Impress Workshop Participate in Employer Mock Interviews View Webshops on Career Center Blackboard class Counselor Mock Interviews

Choose – A good internship will allow you to be challenged, to learn about the career, to pick up new skills, and mutually beneficial Ask questions at the interview Consult a career counselor

Question 4

HOW DO I MAKE THE MOST OF MY INTERNSHIP?

MAKE THE MOST OF YOUR INTERNSHIP

Work Hard

Follow Up

Evaluate

WORK HARD

Professionalism – proper attire, be punctual, meet deadlines

Attitude – positive, enthusiastic Initiative – be proactive Active Learner – be inquisitive, observe, keep up with

industry trends and news Network – introduce yourself, be friendly, eat lunch

with others Flexibility – keep an open mind, give yourself time to

adjust Reflect – check in with supervisor periodically, keep

journal of experiences

FOLLOW UP

On your last day: Thank your supervisor and co-workers Ask for business cards Follow up immediately with an email or

paper thank you letter Stay in touch afterwards to maintain

networking connections References Future employment

EVALUATE

Think about what you have learned List 3 new skills and examples of how you used

them Is this a career option to consider? Why? Why

not? Did you accomplish your goals? If yes, how? If

no, why not? Take next steps

Update your resume If you enjoyed the internship, build on the

experience with another internship or opportunity If you did not like the internship, meet with a

career counselor to discuss alternative options

Question 5

HOW CAN THE CAREER CENTER HELP ME?

THE CAREER CENTER CAN HELP WITH…

Counseling Appointments

Resume/Cover Letter Assistance If you cannot do an internship but are working, The Career Center

can help you develop your resume!

Interviewing Skills

Internship Resources

On-Campus Interviews

Career Fairs & Employer Information Sessions

SUCCESS STORY!

Saudia Thomas, Accounting, May 2010Internships: Cargill, Inc-Global Procurement and PricewaterhouseCoopers

“The Pride Recruiting Program is great! As a participant in On Campus Recruitment, I was provided with several interviews with reputable accounting and finance institutions, participation in leadership conferences, diversity conferences in the New York Metro area, networking opportunities, and it even led to my future internship next summer with PricewaterhouseCoopers!”

BEGIN YOUR SUCCESS STORY

TODAY!