1. Internships A-Z

2. What is an internship?
Bridge between university experience and the work world
Solves the “How do I get experience?” question
Can be full-time, part-time, paid, unpaid, onsite, virtual, volunteer, or even a couple of hours a week
Possibility for credit and built into your academic coursework

3. Value of your internships
Your internships can, in some cases, trump…
Your GPA
Your major
The reputation of the university
Internships are how you extract value from your education and build skill sets, applying what you are learning in the classroom.

4. Why should I have one?
Depending on which research you read, somewhere between 1/6 to 1/3 of all college graduates take a job that does not require a college degree
Interns are twice as likely to land a job that does require a college degree
The number one indicator of first-full time career a student has after college is last full time assignment a student had before graduating

5. Benefits of internships
Depending on which research you read, somewhere between 1/6 to 1/3 of all college graduates take a job that does not require a college degree
Interns are twice as likely to land a job that does require a college degree
The number one indicator of first-full time career a student has after college is last full time assignment a student had before graduating

6. Internship value
Improve knowledge of industry, functions, job titles, career paths
Job reference and potential recommendation
Added value to resume
Have a solid lead with at least one potential employer
College credit (sometimes)
Income
Gain experience

7. Ultimate benefit
Experience will help you decide what you do and don’t like to guide your career path

8. How to find internships
HuskyJobs
Indeed.com
Idealist.org
LinkedIn
#1 Networking

9. Application process: resume
What do I include?
Student activities
DECA
Boy or Girl Scouts
Student Government
Athletics
Volunteer
Informal, meaningful experiences
Focus on a skill area (e.g. Writing, Organization, Leadership, etc…)
Jobs
Coursework: projects, presentations, and research

10. Defining features of a great internship
Opportunity to work at or slightly above your skill level
Formalized socialization opportunities
Fostering a “good fit”
Established program with structure, committed resources, and an assigned supervisor/mentor
Exposure to various departments and/or functions
A defining project or resulting product
An established lead of consideration for permanent hire

11. 3 things you want after an internship
Completed project
Job offer
Letter of recommendation

12. Indicators of a bad internship
Below college level work
No training, coaching, guidance, or exposure
All work and no play
Bad supervision
Boring or underwhelming

13. Barriers to a successful internship
Ambiguous expectations of job duties
What is expected of me?
Not knowing what you are contributing to
Misunderstanding the benefits of the internship
What am I getting out of this?
Misunderstanding the job responsibilities
“It’s not what I thought it was”
Leaving the internship underwhelmed
Hite, R. and Bellizzi, J. (1986). Student expectations regarding collegiate internship programs in marketing. Journal of Marketing Education. 8(3),

14. How to improve a bad situation
Clarify and prioritize responsibilities with supervisor
Show initiative - Ask for more work!
Propose a project

15. Maximizing the experience
In the internship…
Informational interview outside of your assignment
Meet people in other departments, functions, and branches
Meet alumni and other people in the city or area where your internship is located
Create a portfolio of accomplishments
NETWORK, NETWORK, NETWORK!

16. Questions?