Internships and Career Exploration Jean Leverich, LSA Advising Dan Schniedermeier, Career Center

Career Exploration exercise What career(s) are you considering/interested in learning more about? What experiences would help you gain insights and marketability for that career? What steps can you take to make them happen?

Informational Interviewing What is it? Interviewing for information, not a job! Why do it? One of the best ways to learn information about different industries - information that you might only learn from individuals.

What is an Internship? An Internship: Is your summer job an internship? a short-term work experience in which you receive training and gain experience in a specific field or career area. An internship can be paid or unpaid and can vary in hours and length.

An Internship is also … An opportunity to gain valuable insights and hands-on training in a professional setting. A chance to explore career paths in a variety of fields. An opportunity to translate coursework into applied knowledge in the workplace. Potentially an intrinsic part of your academic and professional training. An opportunity to develop a network and find a mentor.

Why do an internship? What are some reasons for doing an internship?

What do you want to explore or learn from your internship experience? What are your goals for your internship?

Steps to an Internship Develop your internship goals -View postings on Career Center Connector and visit “Majors and Careers” link on TCC website. /index.html -From these listings, identify and prioritize preferred industries and/or job tasks!

Steps to an Internship Prepare a resume and learn to write cover letters -Use online resources such as Optimal Resume to develop documents. -Research organizations and specific programs to refine interests and tailor cover letters. -Come in for advising on your cover letters and resumes before sending them out to employers or internship providers.

Utilize multiple resources to identify internships -Access online postings via Career Center Connector. -Use books from The Career Center library. -Attend Information Sessions and Job Fairs: Public Service Internship Program (Late September) Job Fair (October 5) Study Abroad Fair (October) Health Career Fair (November) Internship/Summer Job Fair (January 16) Multicultural Job Fair (January 17) Work Abroad Month (February) E-Fair (February) Steps to an Internship

Apply for positions from October through May -Follow application instructions carefully and check to make sure all of your materials look as professional as possible. -Maintain accurate records of your contact with organizations you contact and individuals with whom you speak. -Make follow-up calls 1-2 weeks after applying to express interest, check the progress of your application, etc.

Steps to an Internship Interviewing -Learn about interviewing techniques and questions from The Career Center website and take advantage of Interview Stream. -Research organization and specific internship opportunity more in order to create the best fit for you. -Talk with a counselor at The Career Center if you have questions regarding accepting or rejecting offers.

The Top 20 “skills” employers seek in candidates 1.Communication Skills - verbal and written 2. Honesty/Integrity 3. Interpersonal Skills - relates well to others 4. Strong work ethic 5. Teamwork Skills 6. Analytical Skills 7. Motivation/initiative 8. Flexibility/Adaptability 9. Computer Skills 10. Detail-Oriented 11. Leadership Skills 12. Organizational Skills 13. Self-Confidence 14. Friendly/Out-going Personality 15. Tactfulness 16. Well Mannered/Polite 17. GPA (3.0 or better) 18. Creativity 19. Entrepreneurial Skills/Risk- Taker 20. Sense of Humor (NACE, 2005)

Transferable Skills Abilities, aptitudes and qualities developed in one context that can be applied to many other contexts. Acquired through academic coursework, extra-curricular activities and work experience.

Major to Career Match Art & Archaeology Classics Asian Studies French & Italian Geosciences Molecular Biology Philosophy Physics Psychology Religion Sociology TV producer Screenwriter/novelist investment banker Attorney OB/GYN MD HS teacher Journalist Physician U.S. Justice Marketing Bank vice president

LSA Credit for Internships Many departments have courses for internship credit for their concentrators. Talk to concentration advisor Independent Study

What is an independent study? A special arrangement made with an instructor to complete academic work not normally offered through traditional classroom instruction.

Arranging an Internship as Independent Study Find a faculty member to sponsor you. Determine what academic work you’ll do to get credit. Get an electronic override from your sponsor or dept staff Throughout the internship, think about how your experiences relate to independent study. Keep a journal Communicate with faculty if you need to modify project

Make the Most of the Internship Keep a journal of tasks, opps, contacts, projects, etc. Make a list of skills you acquired and how you developed them Keep a file of materials for use in a portfolio Ask people to discuss their job skills Seek a mentor Ask to take on responsibilities Ask to do something that involves the skills you want to develop

Questions to ask yourself during / after experience What did you learn from your experience? How did you demonstrate the key skills employers are looking for? What did I like/dislike about internship, and why? What do I want to do/learn next?

Resources/Next Steps UM Career Center UM-sponsored opportunities MIW, GIEU, OIP, Ginsberg Center, Office of Student Leadership & Activities, Overseas Opp Office Alumni Association For career exploration and informational interviewing Instructors, Friends, Co-curricular Activities Maize Pages