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How to Get Started Looking for and Internship
Where do I find internships?
Most major organizations have internship programs, some more structured than others.
But, you should not limit yourself to interning at large organizations only. Employers of
all sizes can offer valuable internship experiences. Your goal when searching for an
internship should be to pursue the position that will provide you with an understanding
of the career area you are interested in pursuing while enhancing your skills inventory to
enhance your marketability within the industry.
How do I begin my search for an internship?
- The first and easiest way to start your search is to upload your profile in Jobs4Cats, Career Services online database. Jobs4Cats can be found on the Career Services website at http://www.careerservices.txstate.edu/Students/Jobs4Cats.html.
- Make sure that you attend the Fall Job and Internship Fair in October and the Internship Fair and Job EXPO in the spring. The dates for the job fairs are listed on the Career Services website. In addition, you can locate other job fairs held at Universities in the Central Texas Corridor and throughout the state.
- Visit Career Services and browse through the directories that feature a variety of state and national internship opportunities. While you are there you can schedule an appointment with a Career Counselor to get specific information and advice that can better assist you in your search.
- Check with the faculty internship advisor in your academic department for any leads on internship opportunities in your major.
- Talk to all of your professors to see if they have any contacts. Many of your professors will know where some students have interned in the past. Additionally, many professors have consulting, research and other ties to various organizations outside of academia; thus, they may be aware of internship programs hosted by these organizations.
- You are strongly encouraged to participate in a job shadowing experience during your winter break. Registration information can be located under the job shadowing link on this website.
Suggestions for Finding the Perfect Internship
- Assess your inventory of skills and interests. Use E-Discover, a web-based comprehensive career planning system. Check with the Career Services for more details and resources or click on the E-Discover link on this website.
- Talk with a Career Counselor. Begin your internship search with a discussion about your interests and learn how to identify your skills and values.
- Define your goals. Decide what qualifications you have to offer an organization and where you want to do your internship (geographic location).
- Determine what you want to get out of the internship and how many hours a week you can devote to an internship?
- Register in Jobs4Cats. Create your profile and upload your resume. Be sure to check for new postings frequently. You may also want to check for postings directly on organizations’ websites.
- Look for companies coming on campus to interview prospective interns. You can locate these companies on our web site in Jobs4Cats.
- Attend an information session facilitated by employers. Lists of information sessions are found in Jobs4Cats. In addition, check the Careers Services website for various programs/presentations by employers during the fall and spring semesters.
- Research your internship prospects. Career Services has internship directories, books, periodicals, newspapers, and employer literature to research potential internship sites in the Career Library. Don’t forget to check “Recommended Internet Resources-Most Popular Job Search Sites” on the Career Services website. Many organizations list internships in web sites such as InternshipPrograms.com, Vault.com, and Jobresource.com.
- Network with your fellow students. If you know of a student who had an internship that intrigues you, ask him/her for advice on landing a similar internship yourself, either with the same organization or elsewhere. Chances are that student has a sense of internship opportunities that you can pursue and perhaps provide you with contact information.
- Follow-up, follow-up, follow-up!