Dilemma: You can’t get a job without experience and you can’t get experience without a job. Solution: Secure an internship!
What is an internship?
An internship is a carefully monitored work or volunteer experience in which a student has intentional learning goals and reflects actively on what he or she is learning throughout the experience. Characteristics of an internship: Relates directly to a student’s academic major or major-related career goal Contributes to the student’s personal and professional development through challenging work assignments Provides appropriate supervision both by an on-site professional and through guidance from faculty Reflective and evaluative in nature Can be paid, unpaid, for-credit or not-for-credit Is most successful when the student, academic department, and employer all share responsibility in making it a valuable experience However, an internship is not: Routine, repetitive tasks unrelated to identified learning goals A job that does not offer career related learning opportunities and experiences An unsupervised, unevaluated experience
Benefits of an internship
Students who participate in an internship experience have a definite advantage, as experience related to your field is very important to future employers. In addition to that definite advantage, there are also many other benefits that come from participating in an internship, including: Allows hands-on career exploration Exposes the professional work environment Reinforces classroom learning Enhances employment marketability Increases likelihood of full-time employment after graduation Creates opportunities to network with other members of the organization Provides performance feedback and mentoring Develops self-confidence and professionalism Builds transferable skill set Narrows career focus and clarifies career goals Develops understanding of professional jargon Teaches what is expected in a particular field
When to complete an internship
You often hear of people completing an internship during their senior year, in hopes of future full-time employment with the organization. In addition, some academic majors require coursework in the field, so the junior and senior years prove a suitable time to apply those skills. However, internships can also be completed in the sophomore or even freshman years! Consider it the “bare minimum” to compete at least one internship while at SFA; however, the more internship experience you have under your belt, the better prepared you will be for life after the college classroom.
Rusk Building, 3rd Floor 936.468.3305 careerservices@sfasu.edu www.sfasu.edu/careerservices 1
Where to find an internship?
We get it – locating an internship can seem… well, overwhelming. Utilize the following resources (and any others you can think of!) to find the internship of your dreams!
Jobs4Jacks (http://www.jobs4jacks.sfasu.edu) to view internship postings On-campus interviews Career fairs Bulletin boards within your academic department Contact a professional organization in your field of interest and inquire about student memberships (many professional organizations offer exclusive job boards to members) Internet: For great places to get started, see the Helpful Links on the SFA Internships homepage Phone books Chambers of Commerce: This is an especially good resource for out-of-town employers Yellow pages Local paper(s) Human services directories Informational interviews
Utilize your network, too!
Never underestimate the power of networking! One of the best ways to find an internship is by utilizing your existing contacts, so talk to everyone about your interest in completing an internship, and let them know what you’re looking for. Your network is endless: Family Friends Current/former employers Career Services staff Classmates Club members SFA alumni Alumni Association Mentor Family friends Friends’ family Neighbors Faculty, staff and advisors within your academic department Employers of your family/friends
Earning Academic Credit @ SFA
Academic internship credit may be available to you through your academic department and may be mandatory or elective, depending upon your major. Generally, students can earn between 1-12 credit hours for participation in an internship course. Investigate academic credit before the internship begins, not after. Enrolled students generally work with an assigned faculty member on the details of specific projects or job objectives. If you are interested in internship credit, see the Academic Credit @ SFA list to see if your department offers an internship course, and then contact the department to locate specific information and application requirements.
Paid vs. Unpaid
A challenge students sometimes face is that many internships are unpaid. First, consider the experience as more of an investment in your future rather than an immediate return for your bank account. Don't let your need to earn money over the summer deter you from looking at unpaid internships. Remember that many unpaid internships are flexible enough to allow for part-time work elsewhere. This will make for a busy summer, but the experience you gain may well be worth the extra effort.
Rusk Building, 3rd Floor 936.468.3305 careerservices@sfasu.edu www.sfasu.edu/careerservices 2
If an internship in which you are interested does not pay, consider seeking out alternative funding sources, like negotiating for a small stipend, or asking if you can work fewer hours on the internship in order to find a paying job to fund your expenses. Also, keep in mind that compensation can take a number of different forms. “Payment” can include employee discounts, a stipend, room and/or board, reimbursement for expenses, miscellaneous perks, free items, access to workshops/trainings only for regular employees, etc.
Rusk Building, 3rd Floor 936.468.3305 careerservices@sfasu.edu www.sfasu.edu/careerservices 3