Search for Internships Using HandshakeThe Citadel Career Center

Internships• “You’ve got to find what you love. Your work is going to fill a

large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle”. – Steve Jobs

INTERNSHIP“Form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the

classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting. Internships give students the opportunity to gain valuable applied

experience and make connections in professional fields they are considering for career paths; and give employers the opportunity to guide and evaluate talent”.

-National Association of Colleges and Employers

Explore. Prepare. Engage

Exploring Internships• Get your materials together:

– Draft and polish a resume, cover letter, introductory email, list of references, LinkedIn and thank you email

*The importance of these documents needs to be taken seriously. Make sure they are error-free and tailored to specific internships

• Evaluate opportunities: – Does the internship involve meaningful work that is of value to the organization? – Is the employer committed to helping you create learning goals and providing ongoing

feedback?

• Reflect on what you want out of an internship: – Learn a new skill or practice a skill you recently learned – Apply your classroom learning in a real world setting – Experience a new industry or work environment – Get your foot in the door at a specific organization

Where To Start1. hireLINK

2. Career Fair

3. Searching Online

4. Networking

5. “Walk-ins”

6. Information Sessions

* Remember to talk with your Academic Advisor to make sure your internship is registered and approved by your Academic Department

Searching Online Handshake

Linkedin

Indeed.com

Internships.com

USAinterns.com

Idealist.org

DCinternships.org

SimplyHired.com

Ask yourself this when preparing• Who am I and what are my interests, personality, values and skills?

*Use Sigi3 assessment profile to get started

• What am I currently involved in (on campus or otherwise) that demonstrates I have leadership potential and transferrable skills?

• What do I want to do in the future?

Mackes (2017) reports, “More than 70 percent of employers have consistently identified leadership, teamwork, written communication ability, problem solving, and work ethic as key résumé attributes. Teamwork, verbal communication skills, and problem solving are the skills employers consider important for success” –National Association of Colleges and Employers

Checklist for Summer Jobs, Internships, & ApplicationsProve that you are prepared, it shows that you are serious, mature, and responsible

• Download and complete applications prior to arriving (these can usually be found on an employer’s website)

• Have a resume and references prepared

• Develop a networking strategy

• Be prepared to talk to employers (use your elevator pitch)

• Follow-up and be polite, persistent and professional

• Show up with identification, social security card, etc.

• Know your dates of availability

Scenarios… What would you do?• You get interviewed and get an internship for the summer with company x, but

later on you also get an offer from company y which you prefer over x. What do you do?

• How would you handle a moment when you had no assigned tasks because you completed all that you were given?

• My internship is unpaid. How can I still benefit?

• Which personality type/s are you? How do you interact with the various personality types at an internship?

• I want an internship but I have no clue what kind of internship that I want. I was instructed to go to the Career Center, what do I do now?

Scenarios• I'm a sophomore cadet and over the summer I did an internship in Sales and

realized that I really liked it. However, my major is in Criminal Justice. How can I find out if Sales is the right fit for me?

• I’m a junior cadet and my major is Business. I did an internship with finance and I absolutely hated it. Am I stuck in this major?

• What are ways I can research a specific company that I want to intern for?

• I want an internship but I have no work experience or a resume. Did I miss my opportunity?

Citadel Career Center• 573 Huger St. outside of Sophomore gate

• Drop in hours Monday – Thursday, 1:00 – 4:00; no appointment necessary

• Email: careercenter@citadel.edu

• Phone: 843-953-1617