College Internship Opportunities
How to Find Summer and Semester Work Experiences
Internships are a great opportunity for college students to get work experience, but where can students find them? Here are some tips for finding an internship.
One of the best ways for a college student to get good work experience is to work as an intern while still in college. Summer internships, as well as other internship opportunities, are outstanding resume builders. Both paid internships and unpaid internships give college students an opportunity for on-the-job career training and development with a real company. Students can build contacts, develop job skills, and decide if a career choice is right for them.
But where can a college student find a summer internship or other internship opportunity? Here are some tips.
- Visit your school's career counseling center. Find out what resources they offer students in finding internships. They probably will have internship listings. A career counselor also can offer you advice about the type of internship that's right for you.
- Visit the main office of your major department. Ask if they have internship listings. Visit other departments that are similar to yours as well.
- Talk to your professors. They may have industry contacts that can help you. They also can give you practical advice about looking for internships in your field.
- Network. Talk to family members, friends, and anyone you know who might be in a position to recommend you for an internship or help you locate one. Networking is an important part of getting a job, and while that isn't necessarily a good thing, it's reality. Fortunately, you don't have to be a blue blood to network, and you probably have more connections than you think.
- Surf the Internet. Find websites for companies that interest you. See if they have information on their sites about internships. If not, call them and ask. You can also surf the web for information about the kinds of internship opportunities in your field. Also, look for career websites with internship databases, like MonsterTrak.
- Create your own internship. Find a company that does not have an internship program, and offer them your services a few hours a week as an unpaid intern. This works well with small companies.
Remember, when you're looking for an internship, be persistent! You're likely to get rejected many times. Be prepared to put some work into finding a good internship. Best of luck! And please tell us about your experiences with internships or ask questions in the discussion.
Related articles:
- Advice from a college career counselor about internships
- Internship employment questions to ask at an interview
- College graduation gift ideas
