Important Campus Resources

5 THINGS NOT TO DO DURING YOUR INTERNSHIP

Internships allow students to explore a career while providing the opportunity to network, develop mentor-mentee relationships and gain valuable work experience. Internship coordinators often let their interns sit in on meetings, send company e-mails and try their hand at working on projects. If interns shine, it’s possible bigger assignments will come their way and higher-ups in the company will notice their work.

Therefore, it’s common for internships to turn into jobs. With the job market being so competitive, internships are a direct way for students to showcase their skills and demonstrate their professionalism. With so much weighing on the internship experience, here are five things to avoid doing:

1 Showing up late and missing deadlines.

An internship is the time to transition from being a student to a professional, which means that showing up on time and making deadlines is important. Doing these things also signals that you are responsible, dependable and care about your work, which are qualities needed to secure a job.

Don’t Gossip.

There are liability issues when pervasive gossip is deemed “malicious harassment”. You may increase the company’s legal liability, which could lead to termination from your internship.

Declining an invitation to a company function.

It’s understandable that after working a 40-hour week that an intern would rather skip out on the company picnic. Don’t. By going to company functions, interns can show they are part of the team and meet up per-level managers they normally wouldn’t interact with on a daily basis.

Never asking for feedback.

If an intern cares about securing a job after graduation, it may be intimidating to ask questions or seek ways to improve. Internship supervisors don’t expect perfection. Instead, they want to see someone who is willing to grow and improve.

Overuse of Media

Don’t use your cell phone regularly or text. This is considered rude or unprofessional by some managers. While you are at work if you are in doubt about whether an incoming call is important, let voice mail pick it up. Browsing social media can also be interpreted as unprofessional.

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Title IX & Inclusion Office Located in Lindero Hall; Hours: 8am – 5pm, Monday – Friday E: titleix@csuci.edu P: 805-437-3608

Dean of Students Located in Bell Tower, Room 2565 E: deanofstudents@csuci.edu P: 805-437-8512

Academic Advising Located in Bell Tower, Room 1595 E: advisement@csuci.edu P: 805-437-8571

Procurement & Contract Services Questions regarding the required insurance coverage may be directed to this department. E: purchasing@csuci.edu P: 805-437-8592

CAREER DEVELOPMENT & ALUMNI ENGAGEMENT

Danielle Quillan Internship Program Analyst (805) 437-2665

Danielle.Quillan@csuci.edu

Amanda Carpenter, Ed.D. Director of Career Development & Alumni Engagement (805) 437-3565

Amanda.Carpenter@csuci.edu

Amanda Asquith-Caya, M.S., M.A. Coordinator of Employer Relations (805) 437-8493

Amanda.Asquith-Caya@csuci.edu

OUR COMMITMENT TO INTERNSHIPS

We understand this informational guide can be a useful resource but may not answer all of your questions pertaining to internships. The Career Development & Alumni Engagement team is committed to supporting your internship interests and we are available to assist students, faculty, and staff with any internship-related questions or concerns.We believe internships are an excellent way to begin building important connections that are invaluable in developing and maintaining a strong professional network between local employers and our CSUCI students. For further assistance, please contact us regarding your internship-related questions and needs.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1 What are the academic components of an internship course?

Academic work varies based on the course, but you can likely expect to keep a daily or weekly journal of your internship experience, write reflective papers, complete a final research paper, and deliver a final presentation on your internship experience.

Will I be required to undergo a background check?

Possibly. A criminal background check, fingerprinting, drug screening, required testing, vaccinations, proof of insurance, or other risk management processes may be required by the internship site. This is particularly true for health care organizations.

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7 Are there deadlines for internship enrollment?

Yes. Please see page 7.

I would rather fill my forms out electronically. Where can I get them?

Microsoft Word versions of all internship forms can be found at the end of this guide. PDF versions can be located at https://www.csuci.edu/careerdevelopment/services/internship-guidelines.htm ** Please then email completed forms to your Academic Advisor.

How will my internship experience be evaluated? What if I disagree with my course grade?

You will receive an evaluation of your performance during the internship from your site supervisor as well as be evaluated on your academic performance in the internship course by your assigned faculty member. A copy of the evaluation can be obtained from your faculty member. Occasionally, students may misunderstand or disagree with the grade they receive in their internship course. The grade is calculated based on the academic assignments in the internship course and the evaluation of the internship site supervisor. All questions about internship course grades must first be addressed with the faculty member assigned to the course. The student should not contact the internship site supervisor to discuss the course grade. The faculty member will work with the student and the site supervisor to discuss the course and evaluation grades.

I want to intern for my family, what is the policy around this?

Students cannot intern for immediate family members, in a family business. Alternate supervisors are required.

I am interning in a health care organization. Is there anything special that I need to do because of this?

Yes. Students who accept an internship role in a health care environment may be required to enroll in academic internship course and/or pay ($125.00) for any site requirements prior to beginning an internship role. These may include drug screening, criminal background checks and an introduction to laws such as HIPAA or other specialized trainings. Students may expect to devote approximately 5 hours to completing these requirements no later than the first day of the semester in order to assure timely completion of all requirements.

How many hours will I be working?

The number of credits varies by degree program offerings, usually 120 hours (at least 8 hours per week) for 3 credits, over the course of the full semester (15 weeks). Students and their internship site supervisor set the actual schedule of hours per week. Internships have specific requirements based on your program and the individual course syllabus. Many students work beyond the minimum number of hours required to receive credit to meet the needs of the employer.

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14 I am an international student, is there anything special that I need to do?

No. Most likely you will be completing an unpaid internship. We highly encourage you to disclose your international status to your employer prior to accepting your position.

Am I placed into an internship?

No. Please see page 6.

Are internships paid?

Varies. The rate of pay for internships will be set by the employers. However, please note that many internships do not offer wages. Please look at your household budget and decide if you are able to apply for both paid and unpaid positions. If you can only accept a paid position, know that you need to plan ahead to search, apply, and compete for the opportunity you want. Also, internship work assignments do not qualify you for unemployment benefits, and you cannot file for such benefits upon completion or termination of your internship assignments for any reason.

I found my own internship, how do I propose this?

The process is the same, just turn in a position description to your faculty member so the role can be reviewed, and all necessary employer forms can be completed and submitted on your behalf. Employer sites for academic credit internships must be cleared through our Procurement & Contract Services department prior to your first day working on site.

My internship site would like me to start before the semester begins. Can I do this?

Only with permission. Please let your faculty member know about early start date requests as soon as possible to ensure that the role and internship site can be approved before you begin. There is no guarantee that you will be eligible and approved after you start, so make sure that you would be willing to stay on and honor your commitment in a not for credit capacity, if you begin before approval. Please note that “minimum hour” accumulation must occur during the semester time frame.

Do I pay tuition for an internship course?

Yes. Credit-bearing internships are an academic course, so tuition is treated the same as any other course you are enrolled in at the university. For all other inquiries about your academic credit internship, contact your program chair.