| In a tough job market, one way to distinguish | | | | experience working with interns? |
| yourself from the pack is to take advantage of | | | | - Be sure to ask about what your job as an |
| this fast-emerging practice. The following tips can | | | | intern will entail. Sometimes, it might make sense |
| help you find the right internship, make the most | | | | to pass up an internship at a well-known company |
| of your time there, and learn how to fit an unpaid | | | | for one at a smaller company that may allow you |
| stint into your budget. | | | | greater and more interesting job responsibilities. |
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| What Do You Do in an Internship? | | | | Can You Afford an Internship? |
| In the best internships, you do much more than | | | | Internships are definitely a great way to show |
| fetch coffee, photocopy, and file. A recent New | | | | employers that you can handle the rigors of |
| York Times article about internships points out | | | | real-world work. But what if you can't afford to |
| that interns are accepting more responsibilities and | | | | work for free for an entire summer? Are you |
| tackling more exciting projects than ever before. | | | | doomed to go internship-less? Luckily, you may |
| For example, interns at Texas Instruments | | | | not. A variety of internship options are available |
| collaborate with engineers on the development of | | | | that shouldn't leave you subsisting on ramen |
| new products. | | | | noodles and living in a squat from June to |
| Many companies are increasingly eager to give | | | | September. Most employers offer internships for |
| their interns more challenging job responsibilities. | | | | either an hourly wage or college credit hours. |
| Why? Because they've started to view interns as | | | | Vault reports that 64 percent of student interns |
| potential full-time employees. The internship | | | | are paid for their work. If you cannot find an |
| serves as a grooming ground for young students, | | | | internship that pays, you can still earn credit hours |
| both giving them the skills they need to land jobs | | | | toward your degree, either freeing up time in |
| and ensuring that the most talented stay with the | | | | later semesters for a part-time job or allowing |
| companies. Moreover, the Vault survey also | | | | you to graduate earlier. You might also consider |
| reports that approximately 64 percent of student | | | | taking out a larger student loan than usual to pay |
| interns receive job offers from the companies | | | | for your summer living expenses. This might |
| with which they intern. | | | | sound unappealing, but remember that an |
| Even if your chosen company is unable to offer | | | | internship can be an investment in your future |
| you a full-time position when your internship ends, | | | | salary. Rather than living and working somewhere |
| you still should have gained valuable experience. | | | | expensive like New York City, consider choosing |
| You may have developed relationships with people | | | | an internship in a city with a lower cost of living or |
| in your industry, or gained skills that you can | | | | where you could save on rent by living with |
| transfer to a job at a new company. | | | | relatives. |
| How to Find a Good Internship? | | | | A 2007 article in the Christian Science Monitor |
| Keep these tips in mind to ensure that your | | | | points out that the sacrifices internships require |
| internship is helpful and enriching: | | | | often pay off. Jeannie Vanasco found an unpaid |
| - Many colleges and universities ask students who | | | | internship at a well-known literary magazine, which |
| have completed internships over the summer to | | | | allowed her to work in a creative environment |
| fill out evaluations of their experiences. Check with | | | | and paved the way to paid work as a book |
| the career center to see if this resource is | | | | reviewer. Brian Feldman had to pay for college |
| available. | | | | credits he did not need in order to work as an |
| - Talk to former interns at companies you are | | | | unpaid intern for The Daily Show, but once his |
| considering to find out how beneficial they found | | | | internship ended, he received a paid position. |
| the experience | | | | Join the Ranks of Famous Interns |
| - Start your search for summer internships early. | | | | If you still worry that your summer vacation time |
| The most competitive ones typically fill up fast, | | | | might be better spent on the beach or at the golf |
| often by November or December of the previous | | | | course, remember that some of the most |
| year. When school starts in the fall, start to figure | | | | famous and successful people in the country |
| out your plans for the summer. | | | | began their careers as interns. Oprah might never |
| - Begin honing a resume and cover letter as soon | | | | have built her media empire if she had not |
| as possible. Find two to three professors or | | | | interned at a television station in Nashville, |
| academic advisors who are willing to write letters | | | | Tennessee. Her internship led to a job as a news |
| of recommendation for you. | | | | anchor. Clothing designer Betsey Johnson |
| - Let your friends and family know that you are | | | | established her signature eclectic style while |
| looking for an internship. One of them might know | | | | interning at Mademoiselle magazine. She used |
| someone at a company in your chosen field who | | | | discarded fabric from the magazine's fabric library |
| can help you. | | | | to make her clothes. Filmmaker Spike Lee was an |
| - Find out who at your chosen company will be | | | | intern for Columbia Pictures. Other famous and |
| supervising you in your internship. Has the | | | | successful interns include Donald Trump, Stephen |
| supervisor recommended former interns for job | | | | Spielberg, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Madeline |
| openings in the company? Does he or she have | | | | Albright. Will your name be next on the list? |