Fall Into Internships!

Fall is here.  Boots and scarves are coming out of the backs of our closets, you can find pumpkin flavored anything in the stores, and the school year is in full swing.

Hopefully you have settled into the semester and have an idea of the demands on your time placed by homework, projects and studying.  With the time that you have left over, the Career Center suggests that you consider applying for an internship in your field of study. Internships can help you in a variety of ways, including:

• CAREER DIRECTION: I always say that student teaching is an invaluable experience, but senior year may be too late for you to realize that you do not like working with children.  Internships can happen at any time during your time at Hofstra and can give you a better understanding of whether a career is right for you, or not. 

• RESUME BUILDING:  Any work experience is good work experience.  However, if you are a biology major, having an internship at a lab on your resume may make you a better job candidate than a biology major who is working in retail.  However, the opposite would be true if you are a management major seeking a career in retail.

• NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES:  Meeting people who are doing the work that you aspire to do is a great way to find out more information about that job.  Plus, you make networking connections that can help you obtain internship or full-time positions throughout your career.

• INDUSTRY KNOWLEDGE: By being immersed in the field, you will learn the key aspects and jargon of the industry. For example, do you know what a bill of lading is? Someone who wants a career in import/export would.

• PROFESSIONALISM:  Internships are usually in professional business settings. Being in such a setting allows you to be seen as a professional; you learn how to effectively communicate with others in written, spoken and non-verbal form.

Convinced?  Well, then grab that pumpkin spiced muffin and pumpkin latte and come over to The Career Center for help with obtaining an internship!

Darlene Johnson, Director
of External Relations