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The Do’s In Developing Your Own Internship

There are definite advantages to creating / tailoring your own internship versus settling for just anything.

Develop Contacts:

  • Join social networking sites
  • Utilize your advisor and department staff
  • Attend career fairs
  • Use E-recruiting to search for internship opportunities
  • Use internship web sites (stated on Career Services web page)
  • Let everyone know you are seeking an internship
  • Consider seeking a mentor; someone who can give you good advice on what you need to learn

Have Your Paperwork In Order:

  • Use Career Services to develop your resume
  • Have a great cover letter
  • Good to know your exact dates of availability but also indicate you can be flexible if need be
  • Indicate you are seeking paid or unpaid internship
  • Have letters of reference stating that you are a good worker and are willing to take initiative
  • Be ready to explain why you want and internship beyond simply, "I need experience"
  • Know how theories you’ve learned in your coursework can benefit the company
  • Be focused! Everyone you approach may not be on board with your internship plan so don’t get easily discouraged and give up!

Set Goals And Objectives:

What do you hope to learn?

Example:

  • To obtain a knowledge base of daily operations for ABC company
  • To learn how to produce a quality product and maintain an appropriate budget
  • Develop and enhance marketing strategies used in promoting ABC company
  • If there is a specific project you would like to work on, be specific about that

What Skills Are You Looking To Develop During An Internship?

Example:

  • Acquire leadership styles that lead to effective supervision
  • Learn technical skills for operating ABC company data base
  • Enhance teamwork abilities
  • Gain professional development

As You Go Along And At The End Of Your Experience:

  • Do document your progress and the steps in which it was achieved
  • Meet with your work site internship supervisor and debrief the experience and what you learned
  • Send thank you cards to all those who assisted you along the way
  • Develop a list of contact people
  • Acquire letters of reference
  • Write a summary of your experience and share it with people in the company