How to Find Undergraduate Internships
An internship is an excellent way to gain work-related experience and to help determine whether a specific occupational field is for you. Each assignment can last for a period of several weeks to three months and usually offers additional credit to supplement academic courses. Review the following steps for ideas on how to find the best undergraduate internship for you.
Instructions
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Start looking early. There is heavy competition for a limited number of slots. It is best to search at least one semester ahead of time since most application deadlines are set for mid-fall or early spring; depending on when the internship starts.
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Network. Speak with friends, classmates, professors and their departments in order to increase your chances of finding the perfect assignment. Many departments post all undergraduate internship listings on their office bulletin boards.
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Contact the career services office at your school. Counselors there can help narrow down your search if you're not sure of what you're looking for. If you can't get an appointment right away, check under "Career Services" on your school's website to find more information on open positions.
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Read your email. Internship sponsors want to increase their chances of attracting the right candidate so they often resort to notifying students via email updates. Also, if a selected intern cancels their participation, this is the quickest way for the department to try to re-fill the position.
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Browse the classifieds. Occasionally employers will advertise an internship in your local newspaper. Some positions are paid, but check with your school to find out if you can receive additional academic credit as well.
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Tips & Warnings
Since most schools require a minimum grade point average, ensure that an undergraduate internship will not interfere with your studies before you accept the position.
