Here is some general information about internships and ways to connect with internship opportunities. You can always schedule an appointment with your assigned Career Coach to learn more.
Many students come to the CDC to learn about internships. Freshmen often wonder if it is even possible to get an internship after their first year of college. It is a possibility though some internships are only open to older students. Below are some internship search strategies. However, it is also important to think about why you are looking for an internship. Do you want to learn about a career field firsthand? If so, you could also look into doing an informational interview or job shadow with a professional in your field of interest. Do you want to build marketable skills? You can search for volunteer opportunities or part-time jobs that can help you build specific skills. Do you want to expand and build your network? Again, informational interviews are helpful in building your network. Your career coach can also help you find networking events on campus and work with you in building your LinkedIn account to expand your network.
Internships can be paid or unpaid. Some offer college credit, while others do not. Internships can be in the summer or during the school year. Some are 40 hours a week and some are much less than that. Here are some internship search strategies:
- Activate your account or login on our website to view our job database. After logging in you’ll find the Jobs tab at the top of the left hand column, from there click on MyJobs. You can choose the internships tab to find the current internships posted. We add new internships all of the time, so check back often.
- Look for career fairs on campus. Did you know that any student can go to any school’s career fairs? Many career fairs take place in September and in January, but there are lots of career events throughout the semester.
- Get involved on campus, with student organizations and activities. Most student organizations that have a professional focus include professional development as part of their mission. They often bring in alumni and employers to help members learn more about opportunities in their field. BeINvolved is a great way to learn about IUB student organizations.
- Volunteering is a way to gain experience, network and possibly find out about future internships. Here is the College Student Volunteering webpage for the Bloomington Volunteer Network is a great resource for finding volunteer opportunities.
- You will want to work on your resume. We have a resume handout on our website, which you may find helpful.
To tailor an internship search to your specific needs schedule an appointment with your assigned Career Coach.