The One Skill Every Student Needs When Applying to Internships

Whether you are finishing up your internship search for this summer or beginning your search for the fall, there is one skill that every student needs to acquire when applying to internships:  investigation!  Yes, you need to become your very own private investigator.  As a student, your time is of the essence, so it is important to use it wisely. Apply, interview and accept only the internships that will be valuable to you!  Here is how you can do so:

1. Make sure the employer is legitimate.  Search for a company website, make sure the contact person’s email address is a company address (not a private yahoo or gmail account), and don’t reply to anyone asking for private information like your bank account or social security number.
   
   
2. Become clear on what the internship is about.  Read the internship description carefully and answer the following questions for yourself.  Is the employer stating what you will be doing and your key responsibilities?  Does the work sound meaningful?  Will you learn new skills?  Can you connect what you are learning at Hofstra to what you will be doing on site?  Will you be supervised and/or is there department in place that is already doing the work that will be required of you?
   
   
3. Ask key questions at the interview, so you can effectively evaluate the offer.  Here are a few you can use:
• Can you give me some examples of the type of work an intern will be doing, such as day-to-day activities and key assignments?
• Will I be supervised?  How will my supervisor evaluate me?  Will I be meeting with my supervisor regularly?
• Does this internship offer any training?  If so, what type of training?
• What do you see as the key benefits of this internship?
• What are the most important qualities you look for in an intern?
• Could you give me an example of an intern whom you thought of as outstanding and what he/she did?
• Are interns included in staff programs such as staff meetings, seminars, or training sessions? Do interns observe site visits, or meetings with clients?

If at any point you are unsure of whether to accept an internship offer, contact our office and speak with a career counselor.  We are here to help!

Deanna Rodin,

Associate Director

Is It Too Late to Apply for a Summer Internship?

One of the most frequent questions that students are asking at The Career Center is “is it too late to apply for a summer internship?”  The answer is “no, it’s not too late.”  Truth be told, though, it is crunch time.  To be successful in finding a quality internship, you will need to plan at least 4-6 months in advance of when you hope to begin interning.   Yes, I can do math and this only leaves you with less than 3 months to prepare.  However, the majority of college students are notorious for waiting until spring break to apply.  It is very difficult to manage classes, midterms, clubs, jobs, and a social life while applying for internships.  So if you want to beat the rush, don’t procrastinate and start now.  The process can be overwhelming.  To help you out, I have broken it down for you in a few manageable steps:

1)   Decide what type of internship you would like.  You can choose by major (i.e. I want to internship in journalism) or by industry (i.e. I want an internship focusing on sustainability).  You can even narrow it down by type of employer (i.e. I want to intern with a political candidate on a campaign).  If you need help brainstorming, take a look at our resource called “What Can I Do With This Major?”  It is important to be open minded, however, searching for an internship without a focus is like trying to find a needle in a haystack.

2)   Prepare your resume and cover letter.  Whether you have a connection through your network, you meet an employer at event, you are attending a career fair, or you are applying online, you will always need a resume.  If you don’t have one, use our career planning handbook on our website to draft one and have it critiqued during our quick question hours. 

3)   Schedule a mock interview at The Career Center.  You can have the best resume in the world but it comes down to the interview as to whether you beat out the competition or not.  Our counselors offer individual feedback to help you practice and prepare during our mock interviews.  Schedule one by calling the office at 463-6060.

4)   Search and apply.  There are many ways to go about applying to internships.  I am only going to mention two here.  First, log onto Pride CMS (our online job/internship database specifically for Hofstra students).  Secondly, search on Internships.com, accessed through Blackboard.  Third, attend our Spring Career Fair on April 2^nd. 

5)   Don’t do it alone.  Schedule an appointment with The Career Center so we can support you through the process.  Let us tailor our resources and program recommendations to you.

That’s it!  Follow these five steps by tackling one and moving on to the next.  It is that simple once you get started.  Good luck!

Deanna Rodin, Associate Director

Think Trendy, Get an Internship!

Internships look to be a trend that is here to stay.  A survey by internships.com shows that internships are on the rise.  They are growing in popularity among both employers and students.

Let the data speak for itself:  http://bit.ly/1hnn1o5. 

If you want to get started with your own internship plan, the first step is to come by The Career Center for an appointment.  Call 516-463-6060 today!

Deanna Rodin, Associate Director