Planning

Before you Start
Securing an internship and ensuring that it is a positive experience requires some thoughtful action and planning before you get started.  A few questions to ask yourself and write down on paper before you begin looking for your internship:

• What type of internship are you looking to acquire?

• What skills would you most like to develop during the experience?

• What type of work environment would fit your interests and values? (For profit? Non-profit? Government? Large? Small?)

• What qualities do you look for in an ideal supervisor?

Use this information to thoughtfully and critically assess various internship opportunities.  Pick an internship where you will be challenged, where you will develop new skills and where you will feel comfortable with your work environment and supervisor.

Finding Openings
Finding and securing an internship takes discipline and dedication on the part of the job seeker.  A few basic steps you should take when searching for an internship:

• Check out GoldPASS the campus wide job/internship posting system where you can view postings and upload your resume for employers to review

• Sign up for on-campus interviews with companies hiring interns. To learn more about on-campus recriuting and see a list of scheduled on campus recruiting events, visit our recruiting page

• Visit the St. Paul Campus Career Center in 198 McNeal Hall to review nation wide internship directories.

• Search InterNetwork for position descriptions, contact information and advice from previous interns.

• Check out the national internship listings available on Internships-USA. The user name is "intern08" and the password is "work".

• Not all internships are advertised.  Make a list of organizations you want to work for and contact them directly to inquire about internship programs.

• Visit web sites for other local colleges and universities to review those that have internship postings viewable by the general public

• Network and conduct informational interviews to learn about opportunities. Visit the Job Searching Section of our web site for details.

• Propose an internship with an organization that does not currently have an intern program

• Prepare your resume and cover letter; have them critiqued at the St. Paul Campus Career Center

• Conduct a mock interview to polish your interviewing skills call 612-624-2710 to schedule an appointment

• Not finding the right internship experience?  Schedule an appointment with a career professional at the St. Paul Campus Career Center by calling 612-624-2710.