For many, the less desirable part of conclusion of a school year is having to come up with a plan for the summer.
As the Benedictine community fans out across the country in just two short months, students will be looking for ways to occupy their days until school resumes in August.
For upperclassmen especially, the summer provides an excellent opportunity to pursue valuable internships in fields of their study or general interest.
Becky Gilmore, director of career development, tells students that there are 11 steps to finding and landing an internship.
1. Students should begin looking for positions immediately.
Gilmore says that deadlines vary between companies, with some looking to fill positions for the summer at the beginning of the school year and others waiting until late spring.
Students should check for openings on a regular basis.
2. Gilmore said that students should define their goals and objectives.
This includes discerning what sort of experience they hope to gain, where they would like to work, and if the internships they are interested in require any extra qualifications.
3. Enlist the help of campus resources such as career development to construct a strong resume and cover letter, and make an effort to participate in mock interviews.
4. Develop a list of places and/or people for whom you would like to work.
Remember that valuable sources for internships can be faculty, career development staff, BC alumni, relatives, friends, other students, previous employers, someone you met at a conference, representatives and officials from your own state.
Keep an organized collection of contacts to add to throughout your search.
5. Attend as many career fairs as possible and talk with recruiters.
Be prepared to tell them what you are looking for in an internship.
Leave your resume with them if appropriate.
6. Be prompt about sending your resume and cover letter to targeted employers.
7. Follow up with a phone call to whoever is in charge of internships to make sure your information was received and request a personal interview.
8. Ask your references or other contacts to call on your behalf, but be careful not to overwhelm you potential employers.
9. When it comes time for an interview, be sure to do some preliminary research on current issues regarding the company and the field.
Ask for a timeline of when a decision will be made.
Try to talk to current employees within the company/organization and find out why they enjoy working there.
10. Write a thank you note after the interview.
If there is something you didn’t mention in the interview about your skills and qualifications, mention it in the thank you note.
If you decide that you are no longer interested after the interview, then thank them for their time, and tell them you don’t feel the internship will be a good fit for you.
11. Gilmore says that students should treat their internship search like a class.
Do the homework, set aside a specific time to work on it, and most of all, be persistent.
Gilmore cites that according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, employers are planning to hire more interns this year.
Students should check out BC Careers on the school website for more information about internship and helpful tips.
