Internship Guidebook Part 1: What Is An Internship?

Part 2: Internship Resources
Part 3: Correspondence Samples
Internships Main Page

What is an internship?
An internship is a short-term, structured experience with an employer in a career field of interest to you. This placement provides an opportunity outside the classroom to actively explore your interests, to gain practical experience, and to assess if you like a chosen field. Why is an internship important?

When are internships offered?
Internships are offered throughout the year by thousands of different organizations. However, Career Services emphasizes two specific time periods for internship placements: January break (up to 5 weeks) and Summer (up to 12 weeks). These two sessions will allow you to make the most of your time when classes are not in session.

Are all internships unpaid?
Although some organizations believe the valuable experience you gain is compensation enough for the internship experience, many offer competitive wages, professional development opportunities, or other benefits to their interns. Remember, the true value of an internship lies in the quality and diversity of experience you gain. Because of their different methods of compensation, there are 3 primary types of internships:

    An Academic internship allows you to receive academic credit for the work accomplished during the internship. This is the only form of compensation you will receive. Your faculty sponsor may require additional projects (such as a journal, research paper, or presentation) along with the projects outlined by your site supervisor. ** If you would like to pursue an internship for academic credit, you must make arrangements through your Department Chairperson and the Registrar before you begin your internship.

    A Paid internship may provide you with monetary compensation for your work. This is typically negotiated during your application process and may be either one lump sum or an hourly stipend. Alternative compensation may include reimbursements for travel, housing, or other living expenses. Because the primary purpose of an internship is the learning experience, hopefully money will not be the first consideration.

    Non-paid     internships are not different from other internships, with the exception of compensation. These opportunities emphasize your commitment and dedication to the field more than financial gain. Researching financial alternatives such as grants, scholarships, part-time work, or housing assistance may enable you to pursue this type of learning experience.
What will I do in an internship?
It is impossible to give a definite list of internship projects because each organization has different needs and opportunities to offer.Because an internship is designed to provide you with practical hands-on experience as well as exposure to a particular career field, many placements try to include the following opportunities:

  • keep a daily journal to record observations, questions, and accomplishments
  • project management
  • research or database management
  • informal interviews with staff
  • customer contact

What are the benefits of participating in an internship?
Besides the on-site practical training obtained during an internship, there are a variety of reasons students seek internships:

  • Explore a new career path
  • Test classroom theories in the "real world"
  • Network and make contacts
  • Possible academic credit
  • Increase knowledge and skills
  • Develop and enhance marketable skills
  • Possibly earn money
  • Meet and learn from professionals in the field
  • Contribute to an organization or company
  • Build confidence in your skills and talents
  • Increase community involvement

REQUIREMENTS TO APPLY FOR AN INTERNSHIP:

Putting the Pieces Together
Because most employers understand that an internship is an opportunity for students to gain valuable experience, very few placements will require actual experience. Please note however that each internship has different requirements and expectations for its interns. Career Services recommends that anyone who is considering an internship meet at least the following basic eligibility requirements:

  • Full time matriculation at a university
  • Enrolled in an approved major
  • Basic communication and organizational skills
  • Availability for a specific time period

Aren't internships only for Juniors or Seniors?
NO!! Typically students pursue an internship during the sophomore or junior year but opportunities do exist for first-year and seniors as well. There are also experiences designed for recent graduates or students enrolling in graduate school. If you have the desire and determination to pursue an internship, then be sure to have the Career Services staff assist you with your search.

Don't I have to know what I want to do with my life before I have an internship?
Internships do not lock you into a particular career field. Rather, consider internships as a valuable, hands-on way to test those areas you are considering for a future career. I would like to do an internship and get some experience but I don't have a clue about what organizations would be a good sponsor.

Can you help me?
Absolutely. Career Services & Leadership Education has many resources available to help you clarify your objectives for an internship. Keep in mind there are many different reasons why people pursue an internship and each person chooses the opportunity which best fits their goals. Make an appointment to talk with a Career Counselor about your questions and goals.

Can I do more than one internship?
ABSOLUTELY!!! The more experience you have to offer an employer, the more you strengthen your position as a job candidate does. Additionally, having a variety of placements to evaluate will help you to understand the type(s) of work and career areas that are most interesting for you.

Developing a Solid Internship Plan How can I find an internship that is right for me? To fully understand the internship search process, it is helpful to review the Five Steps to Career Planning. This will provide you with a valuable outline to build your search process.

FIVE STEPS TO CAREER PLANNING

Step One: Self Assessment Know Yourself!
What you want, what your strengths are, what you value, and what you are interested in are all aspects of self-assessment. Why is this important? Quite simply, as you explore internship opportunities, this assessment will become your checklist for defining the ideal internship. Without it, you might make decisions that are incomplete.

There are a variety of formal and informal ways to begin the self-assessment process:
The office provides counseling appointments in conjunction with two formal self-assessment inventories, the Campbell Skill and Interest Inventory or Self-Directed Search.

If you are not able to come over to the office for some reason, there are still ways for you to engage in some informal self-assessment techniques. For example, think of the activities you enjoy most. What is it about those activities that makes them enjoyable for you? What about them interests you? Try thinking about why your favorite classes were your favorites--was it the subject matter? The professor? The other students in the class? Thinking about what you enjoy, as well as what will help you in your future career, will guide you toward your best internship.

Step Two: Exploration
Exploration helps you to identify and explore internships that relate to your skills, interests, values, and needs. Information can also be obtained in our career library, which has many volumes that describe different careers and occupational fields. Using our Alumni Network, you can locate a St. Lawrence alumnus/ae that can talk to you about specific careers.

You may also want to speak with students who have completed internships to learn how they began selecting possible internships. The staff at Career Services will be happy to help direct you if you have any questions about where to look to find the information you need.

Step Three: Developing Necessary Tools
There are certain tools that are needed to gain an internship, regardless of what internship you choose to pursue. For example, you will need a well written resume to send to each internship site. You will also need to create letters to accompany your resume, to thank the interviewers, and to accept or decline internships. Learning to network and interview effectively will also increase your chances of successful internship hunting.

Step Four: Decision Making
As with any process, there comes the time that a decision needs to be made. The information you gained in steps one through three will combine to give you a strong knowledge base about the different issues involved. Using this information, you can evaluate and define you objectives and goals for your interning experience. You need to explore the rewards, alternatives, and opportunities, and outcomes associated with each internship, and match those with your goals. Above all, you need to make a decision that is the right one for you.

Step Five: Implementing Skills and Techniques
In this final step, you will seek interviews with specific organizations. This will require writing letters to various employers, and following up with additional correspondence over the telephone or by mail. Scheduling interviews, actual interviewing, and interview follow up contact also would fall into this step. Does an internship have to be in my major? Not necessarily. A liberal arts education provides you with a solid foundation of skills and knowledge that prepare you for a variety of work environments. An internship is one direct way to test those interests and skills and to assess how prepared you are for life after graduation.

APPLICATION PROCESS

When do I apply for an internship?
The sooner the better! Summer internships especially can be very competitive and may have deadlines as early as November 1. Generally, for a January placement, it is recommended that you begin researching possible placements as soon as you begin your fall term classes. Summer opportunities can be researched as early as October. Note, for Alumni Internship Resume Referrals, there is an established deadline each semester when materials are due at Career Services & Leadership Education. All other internships will have dramatically different application deadlines.

How long will it take to get an internship?
Like a job search, applying for an internship will require a clear sense of goals, quality application materials, positive references, and commitment and enthusiasm from you, the applicant. It is advisable that you leave yourself at least 6 weeks to review the vast array of internship opportunities and to contact those organizations in which you are interested. Consider applying to at least 10-20 different organizations. Don't forget it may also be necessary for you to develop a targeted resume and cover letter, to collect references, to prepare supporting materials (such as an essay) or to prepare for interviews. Thus, it is recommended that you begin your search process as early as possible.

Am I required to interview for an internship?
Quite possibly yes. Because the process of securing an internship is similar to a traditional job search, you may need to provide a prospective site sponsor with more than just a tailored resume and cover letter. An interview will enable the organization to meet you and to assess how well your goals and experiences match their needs and internship opportunities.

Telephone interviews are one possibility and are often the first conversation you will have with a prospective internship sponsor. An employer will contact you to set-up the phone interview. At that time, ask the employer the number of individuals participating in the interview. This information will help you to prepare for the interview and anticipate the dynamics of speaking with one person or to many persons over a speaker phone. Make arrangements to be alone in your room or apartment for the interview. Also, have readily available a copy of your resume and questions to ask the employer. (Be careful not to rustle paper needlessly and convey to the employer that you are unprepared). Evaluation of this type is based on response, tone of voice, enthusiasm, ease of conversation, and adaptability to the circumstances. Keep in mind the purpose of this interview is to "screen" or to reduce the number of candidates to a manageable number. In doing so, the sponsor selects individuals best qualified to meet their organization's needs. S/he is also looking for reasons to eliminate people. The internship application process may also require an interview for final candidate screening. The interview experience ultimately decides which candidate will receive the internship offer. Therefore it is essential that you are prepared to "sell" yourself in a professional setting.

Preparation requires thorough self-assessment of your skills, interests, values, and past/present experiences that may relate to the internship you are seeking. In addition, you must conduct extensive research of the organization prior to the interview.

Part 2: Internship Resources