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Finding an Internship

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Where do I start?

Researching and identifying internships

General strategies

Strategies for students studying abroad in the spring semester only

Before accepting an internship

 

Where do I start?

Begin your internship search by considering career goals for the future and your schedule. What experience would you like to have? What time commitment can you make to the internship? Is compensation or getting funding for the internship an important factor? Thinking carefully about what you hope to get out of an internship will help clarify what strategy to use for your search.

Speaking with a career counselor can also help provide more guidance and direction. After discussing your skills, interests and goals, you and your counselor can develop an effective strategy for finding an internship that best suits you.

Researching and identifying internships

Focus your search by clarifying your priorities. Ask yourself important questions, such as:

  1. What do I want to accomplish through this internship experience?
  2. Am I looking for a structured or unstructured internship program?
  3. Where do I want/need to work geographically? Will I need transportation?
  4. What kind of organization do I want to work for? For example, do I want to work for a large or small company, or for-profit or not-for-profit? Do I want to work in a specific industry or perform a specific function?
  5. Will I need to have another job to provide me with an income?

Do not be seduced by style over substance. A great company name does not necessarily mean you will have a great internship experience. Working for a smaller company can often give you more hands-on experience.

If you want to know where other Columbia students held internships, check out the Internship Database to get basic information on companies, titles, hours and experiences of your peers.

General strategies

  1. Be aware that some opportunities are advertised and some are not. If you want to work at a certain company and they have not advertised any positions, get in touch with them and see if you can create your own internship opportunity.
  2. Understand the time-line
    • Know when internship applications are due. For many well known internships, you will need to apply sometimes 3 or more months in advance (for example, the State Department and many internships in large consulting firms recruit early). Additionally, make sure you have access to LionSHARE's on-campus recruiting system to be able to apply to opportunities where employers conduct interviews on campus
  3. Prepare your application materials. Searching and applying for internships can be very time consuming, so being organized will help you use your time wisely. You don't want to be in a situation in which you've missed a deadline for an internship posting because you were waiting to get transcripts or contact information for your references. You should have the following prepared, with only a need for polish and customization, depending on the position:
    • Resume
    • Cover letter
    • References (At least two, with full contact information)
    • Transcripts
    • Writing sample
  4. Keep in mind that that many positions are advertised through word-of-mouth, so start building your network early. Speak to your personal contacts and former employers. Also, start your search with these resources:

Once you send your applications out, follow up by phone or email. Also, get ready to interview! Schedule a mock interview with a counselor and be sure to show purpose, prepare and practice.

Strategies for students studying abroad in the spring semester only

Most companies prefer to interview a candidate in person before hiring them so it is best to try and set up interviews before you leave the US. It is critical that you start thinking about what industries you would be interested in applying to and plan in advance. Use any breaks that you have back in the US to set up interviews and be proactive in connecting with contacts to help you find an internship.

Finding a US internship for the summer after your overseas experience requires some advanced planning. In general, the majority of industries tend to post and recruit for summer internships in the spring semester. However, there are some notable exceptions. Many financial and consulting internships require that applications for internships be completed in late December or early January, and many State Department positions (and positions in embassies) have application deadlines on November 1st. In general, the larger the company/organization and the more competitive the internship, the earlier the application deadline will be. If you are abroad during the application period, try to connect with the employer and offer a Skype or telephone interview.

Take advantage of any resources that you may have access to in your host country. Consider applying to international companies that have offices in the country in which you are studying and investigate interviewing at one of the branches abroad. You can use UniWorld to help you identify them.

Before accepting an Internship

You should find out as much as you can about the internship before you accept it. It is appropriate to ask for time to consider the offer before accepting it, which will also give you time to reconnect with other employers from whom you might be waiting on offers. Ask the employer any specific questions that you need to have answered. Some questions to consider:

  • Will I get to do the kind of work I am interested in?
  • What percentage of my time will be spent on hands-on work versus observing others?
  • What percentage of my time will be spent doing administrative tasks?
  • Are interns considered employees-in-training and treated as part of the team?
  • May I speak to former or current interns? (Ask them what they liked and did not like)
  • What kind of supervision will I receive?
  • Will my performance in the internship be reviewed or discussed with me?