Prepared by: Career Services INTERNSHIPS Prepared by: Career Services

GETTING STARTED When do you want to do an internship? What do you want to do? When should you start planning? At least a semester before Know your geographical limitations. Make sure you take travel costs into account. Know what kind of work environment suits your needs.

WHAT DO YOU WANT TO DO? Think about the types of positions you want to pursue and what skills and experiences are necessary for these roles. Career Services has resources available that can help you to define your skills and interests. Consider taking the Focus 2 assessment or reviewing the What Can I Do With This Major? feature on our web site before you begin your search.

EVALUATE For Credit or Not For Credit Paid or Unpaid Internship If you are looking to earn credit for your internship, you should speak with the Faculty Internship Advisor in your academic department to discuss registration and requirements. Paid or Unpaid Internship Depending on your industry, there may not be paid opportunities available. Decide what works best for you and ask yourself – am I able to work an unpaid internship? Consider negotiating hours for unpaid opportunities and inquire about funding from Career Services, Financial Aid or your academic department.

MARKET Create a solid resume and cover letter. Create your resume to reflect your internship search and tailor your cover letter to each job. Remember, this is your one opportunity to make an impression and convince an employer to bring you in for an interview. Make sure your resume is presentable, relevant to the job and free of grammatical errors. Multiple versions of your resume is not uncommon!

EXPLORE IDENTIFY Search our internal job database Viking Link and other external sites (such as indeed.com and internships.com) for internship job postings. RESEARCH Think about which companies and organizations do the work you want to do. Go directly to these company websites to see if there are internship job listings. NETWORK Let people know what you are looking for. Build yo ur network by attending industry related events (these can be on-campus, through industry organizations, or career fairs). Maintain contact with previous supervisors, faculty members and other friends/family members. Join professional associations and LinkedIn.

SUPPLEMENT YOUR SEARCH JOIN PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS Become a member of an industry association. READ INDUSTRY PUBLICATIONS Become well-versed on industry trends; know what is going on in the industry. Who are the up-and-comers? Who are the movers and shakers? Who are the trend-setters? Most publications dedicated to specialized industries have listed internship opportunities in the back sections. SUBSCRIBE TO ONLINE NEWSLETTERS Many industry organizations have specialized newsletters that are sent on a regular basis that focus on related trends and these include internship and job postings (most subscriptions are free and can be found on an organizations home page). NETWORK ONLINE Become a member of an online networking community such as LinkedIn. You can search for those who have similar interests/professions as you.

APPLYING AND INTERVIEWING Read job descriptions carefully and only apply to jobs that you believe would be a good fit based on your skills, experience and interests. Consider a practice interview before going on your actual interview. Career Services can help with in-person mock interviews and through online resources such as Interview Stream (via Viking Link & Canvas). Thoroughly prepare by researching the company before the interview, asking questions during the interview and sending thank you letters after the interview.

TIPS After applying for a position, always follow up to check on the status of your submission and to see where the search committee is in the hiring cycle. Do not call the Hiring Manager if the internship description specifies “No Phone Calls.” Establishing a professional network can be intimidating – focus on developing relationships that will be meaningful for both parties; seek out people who have common interests and will want to be involved in your career development. Simply asking people in your network for a internship will not contribute to an ongoing relationship. Develop a “30 second commercial” that describes your skills and how you plan to use them for a particular position – this can help you in both interviewing and networking situations. Keep an address book of professional contacts you meet and before filing business cards, write a couple of notes on the back so you can have a reference point for further conversations.

TIME MANAGEMENT Prepare to be proactive about fitting the internship search process into your busy schedule. Set aside time each week to focus on internship search strategies. Be organized and keep track of where you have applied.

DECIDE Utilize Career Services and follow-up before making any final decisions. Once you receive an offer(s), make the best decision for yourself and your career. Think about all factors including the company, job responsibilities and commute. Take a day or two to make a decision. Decline other offers once you accept a position. Never accept an internship position and then renege on your acceptance.

ON THE JOB Be clear about your supervisor’s expectations. Show up on time. Take only the specified break-time for lunch or coffee and return on time. Avoid missing work. If you must be absent, request permission from your supervisor in advance. Dress for success. Take cues from co-workers and dress appropriately. Offer new ideas and suggestions. Be careful not to be critical of current practices. Gradually ask for additional responsibility and take initiative. Keep an open line of communications with your boss. Network with others in the office and maintain those connections via LinkedIn. Log a daily journal to track your experience. If there are other interns in the office, strive to develop relationships with them, this can be a great support system. Avoid becoming to cliquish with the other interns. Keep a professional souvenir. Ask your supervisor if you can keep a copy of any projects you work on - brochures, reports, etc. These can be a great addition to a portfolio.

REFLECTION What were your goals before the internship? Did you accomplish them? What did you accomplish above and beyond your established goals? What did you fail to accomplish? What new skills, equipment, or office technology did you master? What was the most important thing you learned from this experience? How would you describe the corporate culture? What did you notice about different supervision styles? What did you learn about running a meeting? What did you observe about different styles of decision making?

QUESTIONS

Employer Relations: Making Connections Between Students and Employers The Employer Relations Team is building long-term, mutually beneficial partnerships with employers for all departments that will provide opportunities for students, recent graduates, and alumni.  The Initiative generates creative ways for employers to engage with our campus and maintains an open line of communication with those employers. Internship and Career Fair On-Campus Interviews Class Presentations Student Club Presentations Guest Speakers-Career Prep Week Resume Collection Company Site Visits Company Information Tables Boston Celtics Cell Signaling Technology First Investors Corporation State Street Corporation Enterprise Holdings BROAD Institute Genzyme Microsoft Boston Partners Financial Group Hilton NEW YORK LIFE Essex County Sheriff’s Dept. Bridgewell Target Stores Melanson, Health & Company PC Walgreens

Contact Information Salem State University Career Services 105 Ellison Campus Center (ECC) Career Services Office Hours: Monday-Friday 8:00am-5:00pm Phone: 978.542.6406 E-mail: career@salemstate.edu Website: www.salemstate.edu/careersvs CONNECT WITH CAREER SERVICES Log on to Viking Link: https://app.joinhandshake.com/login Connect with us on Social Media Sites: Twitter: @SSUCareer LinkedIn: Salem State University Career Services