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