INTERNSHIPS: GETTING STARTED

What Is An Internship?
Why Do An Internship?
How Do I Find An Internship?
How Do I Register For An Academic Credit Internship?
An Important Note for Students Planning An Internship.

 

What Is An Internship?

Internships combine classroom theory with a structured, supervised work experience providing an opportunity to link academics to the workplace. While a short-term job or volunteer experience is beneficial in initiating and encouraging skills that students may not use in the classroom, an internship fulfills a more complete learning process. Students enter into internships with intentional learning goals, and a plan for reflection on learning. A good internship will enhance personal, professional and educational development, bridging the gap from the classroom to the "real world."

Why Do An Internship?

  • Develop professional skills and gain hands-on experience in your field of interest

  • Apply your academic coursework to a real-world work situation

  • Explore career options and develop your personal sense of vocation

  • Learn how organizations operate

  • Begin building your professional network

Did you know...

Employers from all sectors use internships as a recruiting tool! It's true! Employers use internships to screen and groom potential full-time hires. The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has conducted numerous employer surveys that demonstrate this growing trend.

Internship experience will give you a competitive edge as a full-time job or graduate school candidate! No matter the organization, having internship experience as an undergraduate student makes you a more qualified candidate in the eyes of employers' and professional schools'. We hear this message from recruiters year after year, who feel that students with past internship experience bring more professionalism and maturity as full-time job or graduate school candidates.

How Do I Find An Internship?

No matter where you are in the process of searching for an internship, the CEL can provide resources and guidance to help you. Use the statements below to find out where to start your search. Download the Student Worksheet and make notes as you begin using the resources listed.

“My goals for completing an internship are…”

Think about your answers to the questions below. This step is important! Your goals for completing an internship will help guide your search process. You don't have to have answers to every question right away!

  • What do I hope to accomplish with an internship?
  • What academic goals and which career objectives do I want to work towards?
  • What interests do I want to explore?
  • What skills do I want to use and improve?
  • How do I want to apply my academic coursework?
  • When do I want to conduct an internship?
  • Where do I want to conduct an internship (consider both geographic location AND type of organization)?
  • Do I want/need to receive academic credit?

“I don’t know what I am interested in…”

  • Check out the CEL workshops Identifying Vocational Interests and Choosing a Major.  Click on “CEL Workshop Schedule” to find out when these are offered each term.  During the Identifying Vocational Interests series, you’ll take 2 self-assessments that will offer insight into your skills and interests, and how those can be applied in the world of work. 
  • Ask people who know you well where they think your interests, skills, and values lie.
  • Note themes in your answers to these questions: What do you enjoy doing? How do you spend your free time? What do you most enjoy thinking about? Where do your thoughts seem to wander? How do opinions or outside influences (family, friends, professors, etc.) impact your academic/experiential/career choices? Where do you see yourself 5 years from now – how about 10?

“I don’t know what types of careers there are for people in my major…”

The idea that there are majors that don't lead to jobs is a myth, especially at a liberal arts college where students are well-educated in a breadth of subjects beyond their major. Any major can prepare you for a number of different careers – start looking at occupations in very broad terms and then narrow in on something more specific. Try this:

  • Link to St. Olaf’s Online Alumni Directory and do a simple search by major. In the search results, click on alums one at a time to see what they’re doing now. You will be surprised at the variety!
  • Contact alums who are doing something of interest and request an informational interview.
  • Visit the CEL’s websites on Exploring Careers and Majors, and come in to the CEL to browse the career library.
  • Search the Internet for websites of professional associations in your areas of interest. You’ll find career exploration resources with up-to-date internship and job listings and descriptions of lesser known careers in the field.
  • Talk to your professors about career options in your areas of interest.

"I want to get field-specific experience that will put my major to use…”

  • Sign up for the CEL_Yourself email alias to stay on top of internship opportunities for St. Olaf students.
  • Check out the CEL’s Video Workshops on Job & Internship Search Strategies for specific fields, as well as our Events & Workshops Calendar. 
  • Visit the CEL’s Job & Internship Search page for a comprehensive list of job and internship databases online, as well as our library of hardcopy internship resources.
  • Create a resume and come to the CEL to have it reviewed by a peer advisor or staff member.
  • Think about family, friends, and campus resources including faculty, peers, and acquaintances when considering an internship site. Sage advice, information, and contacts often come from people you already know!
How Do I Register For An Academic Credit Internship?

Each year, nearly 200 students complete their internship for academic credit.  While few majors or concentrations require an academic internship, students find great value in the opportunity to work with a faculty supervisor and devote time to their internship activities.  Find more information about the process to register an internship from the CEL’s student webpage.  You can also stop by the CEL and speak with a Peer Advisor who can answer your questions and guide you through the process. 

An Important Note for Students Planning An Internship.

INSTITUTIONAL REVIEW BOARD: If your internship will involve research activities with human subjects, be sure to see the Institutional Review Board’s website for steps to have your research project reviewed well in advance of the start date of your internship.