The Five Steps to Finding an Internship

Center for Career Development University of Connecticut

Spring 2014

Center for Career Development Mission Statement

The Center for Career Development (CCD) at the University of Connecticut is dedicated to excellence through offering the highest levels of service to our students across all schools, colleges, campuses, and disciplines. We support the intellectual growth of our students by providing programs and experiences that promote self-awareness and engagement as they identify a course of study and pursue opportunities to become contributing members of the state, national, and world communities. Through partnership with employers, alumni, faculty, and staff, we connect students to quality career development resources, internships, experiential learning, and post-graduate opportunities.

Center for Career Development Programs and Services

Career Development Programs • A variety of workshops are offered throughout the

semester. • These programs focus on the job search process and

include topics such as résumé writing, interviewing, how to find an internship, and more.

• Customized sessions can also be requested by student groups, faculty, or staff.

Center for Career Development Programs and Services (cont.)

Career Coaching • Consists of one-on-one sessions with a career consultant

during which students receive advice on a variety of topics from “what to consider when choosing a major” to “how to conduct a professional job search” and everything in between.

• Students interested in meeting one-on-one with a career consultant begin by stopping by the office for a 15-minute walk-in session

• Based on the outcome of this first meeting, arrangements for more in-depth follow-up meetings can be made.

Center for Career Development Programs and Services (cont.)

Experiential Learning • The Center for Career Development (CCD) will provide

resources and information on how to find the internship or cooperative education experience that’s best for you.

• If you are interested in visiting a company to experience a potential career option first hand, consider Career Expedition Day.

Center for Career Development Programs and Services (cont.)

Corporate Partner Relations • An extensive number of employers visit campus each

semester to recruit talented UConn students for internships and full-time jobs through career fairs, on-campus interviews and other special events.

• Hundreds of other employers post positions on HuskyCareerLink, the Center for Career Development’s online job management system which is exclusive to UConn students and alumni.

• Details on how to post your résumé, create job alerts, and apply to positions can be found at www.huskycareerlink.uconn.edu.

Five Steps

1. Student Motivation and Readiness

2. Employer Motivations and Preferences

3. Internship Posting Analysis & Résumés

4. HuskyCareerLink & Other Resources

5. Developing Professional Relationships

1. Internship Readiness: Student Motivation

• Improve and develop skills … gain confidence • Career trial within or outside of major • Apply classroom learning to work (and vice versa) • Build résumé for work or grad school • Build professional network • Discover industry norms and culture • Obtain mentoring guidance • Tap into “hidden” job market • Earn credit and/or money • Increase market value • Have fun!!

Internship Readiness: Key Aspects

• Excited about gaining practical, hands-on work experience

• Prepared to take the next step in regard to attitude, level of commitment, and approach o Reliable transportion? o Appropriate wardrobe? o Willing for social life to be secondary? o Know your role?

• Type of Internship o Program, location, hours…

• Get Organized

Internship Readiness: Self Awareness

• Understand oneself o Interests o Values o Skills

• Demonstrate a focus • Articulate Strengths

Well-Informed Decisions

Values Interests

Personality Skills

2. Employer Motivations: Large Organizations

Different motives than students...

• Workforce strategy: talent pipeline for conversions • "Test drive" (low-risk) • Reduce graduate recruiting time, costs, and errors • Worker retention

o Retention rate of employees who held an internship with the company is much higher than those who did not

• Reduce labor costs (no benefits, limited liabilities) • Build competence and loyalty

Employer Motivations: Small/Non-Profit Organizations

Different motives than large companies...

• Level the playing field with large corporations • Add productivity • Bring fresh enthusiasm and creativity • Boost employee morale

*Note: This sector encompasses 80+% of job market!

Employer Preferences: Top Skills in a Candidate

The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Annually Surveys Employers (Job Outlook 2013)

Top Skills Employers Seek in Candidates (in general) Verbal communication 4.63

Teamwork 4.60

Decision Making/Problem Solving 4.51

Plan, Organize and Prioritize Work 4.46

Obtain and Process Information 4.43

Analyze Quantitative Data 4.30 Scale 1=lowest; 5=highest

Employer Preferences: Attributes on a Résumé

3. Internship Analysis

Sample Résumé Before Critique

4. HuskyCareerLink www.huskycareerlink.uconn.edu • Online job management and recruiting system

o Typically around 1000 posted internships o Opportunities from employers posting current

positions AND o Opportunities located by UConn staff AND o National positions

Use for on-campus interviewing, employer contacts, job agent, record keeping, virtual résumé books, and more!

HUSKYCAREERLINK

HuskyCareerLink

HUSKYCAREERLINK

www.internships.uconn.edu

@UConnInternHub

5. Developing Professional Relationships

QUIZ:

• What percentage of available jobs are actually advertised?

• What is one way to use LinkedIn to find an internship?

• It is acceptable to write an introduction letter to a company president to inquire about the possibility of an internship.

Developing Professional Relationships

• Networking • Alumni Association Connections – Career Network • A few Social Media Sites that incorporate advertised and

hidden internship opportunities o www.linkedin.com o www.twitter.com o www.facebook.com

• Making your Profile Public • Verification websites, what is your online presence?

o Reppler.com, Brandyourself.com

Action Steps • Be sure to visit the Center for Career Development to

discuss your specific internship needs and have your résumé critiqued

• Visit internships.uconn.edu for up-to-date internships information

• Develop a LinkedIn profile, join the CCD LI Group

• Upload your résumé to HuskyCareerLink –www.huskycareerlink.uconn.edu

• Search and apply for internships on HuskyCareerLink

Officially Document Your Internship

Three possible ways to document your internship:

1. Earn academic credit through your department 2. Earn one (1) academic credit through the CCD

Supervised Internship Experience course 3. Do not earn credit, but have your internship

documented on your transcript with CCD’s Documented Internship Experience option – Zero Credit

*Students must have approval to earn credit before starting the internship

Center for Career Development (CCD)

• Location: Wilbur Cross , Room 201 • Office Hours:

Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

• Career Counseling Walk-in Hours: Monday-Friday 12:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

• Résumé Critique Walk-in Hours:

Monday – Friday, 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

• Phone: (860) 486-3013

• Website: www.career.uconn.edu

• Stay Connected: facebook.com/UConnCCD, twitter.com/uconnccd, pinterest.com/uconnccd

Center for Career Development Upcoming Career Fairs:

Internship/Co-op Career Fair: Wednesday, February 5, 2014, Student Union Ballroom

School of Engineering Career Fair: February 18, 2014, Rome Commons Ballroom

Careers for the Common Good Fair: February, 19, 2014, Student Union Ballroom

Spring Career Fair (for seniors and recent alumni): Thursday, April 3, 2014, Student Union Ballroom

Be on the Lookout For: Fall Internship and Career Fair

September 2014

Thank You

• Questions? • Follow-up