For organizations with cyclical hiring processes (hiring interns every fall, spring and summer on a regular schedule), March and April are the peak times for applications to be due.
To get started with the successful internship search today, you'll need to answer a few important questions:
- Why an internship? Internships are one of the most critical components of professional success and hirability. According to a study by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), 42.3% of seniors with internships received at least one job offer upon graduation, compared to only 30.7% of students who hadn't participated in an internship.
Additionally, internships enable you to explore your career path, get hands-on experience and build your resume and your professional network. What's not to love about internships? - Where do I start? Before you begin your internship search, you want a sense of what you're looking for. Knowing the industry (i.e. healthcare administration, publishing, engineering), skills/type of work (marketing, customer service, administrative support) and location (San Marcos, Austin) in which you'd like to intern will help you focus and streamline your search.
Having trouble identifying your interests and goals? Set up an appointment with a career counselor by calling Career Services at 512.245.2645. - Where do I look? Internship opportunities can be found much like regular part- or full-time jobs: through a job-posting or company website, your network or school, your current employer, etc.
Start your internship search with Jobs4Cats, Career Services job-posting database with over 250 opportunities currently posted. Then, check out major-specific resources (which may be housed on your department's website) and niche job-posting boards (such as mediabistro.com for communications students, idealist.org for those interested in nonprofit work, and workintexas.org for government positions). You can also include internship sites like internmatch.com, internships.com and youtern.com in your online search.
And be sure to target specific companies. A Google search for "mental health in Austin, TX", for example, will give you a map filled with organizations that deal in some way with mental health. Click over to each organization's website to learn about job, internship and volunteer opportunities. - Who can I ask for help? Reaching out to your Career Services college liaison is a great first step, but you can get your whole network involved by letting your parents, friends from home, college peers, faculty and current/former supervisors and coworkers know that you're on the market for an internship.
If possible, try to find a mentor or contact who works in your field. After politely asking if they'd be willing to talk to you, ask them questions about the industry, the job search process, their career trajectory and more. - What will I need to apply? Like any job, you will most likely need a resume, cover letter and references to apply for internships. Many listings also include an application and, sometimes, an essay or other sample of work. Whatever the requirements for your particular program or opportunity, be sure to follow application instructions to a "T". Get assistance with your application components (and all the stuff that comes next, including interviews, following up and more) by contacting your Career Services college liaison or our front desk at 512.245.2645.
Career Services can help you answer each of the questions above--and many others you may have about your internship search and career exploration. Call our office at 512.245.2645, or visit our website at www.careerservices.txstate.edu. Have a great spring break!
