There is no standard internship/research application process that all employers and
academic programs follow. Instead, you will come to realize that organizations have
early deadlines and begin their recruitment process on a specific schedule every year,
so don't procrastinate. Internships and research opportunities do not start and end
according to what fits your schedule. Many students miss out on an opportunities because
they simply waited too long to start their search.
Identify why you want an internship/research experience and what are your priorities.
It will also help for you to list what your current skills, what skills and abilities
you can offer a prospective employer, and what skills you hope to improve. List how
you developed those skills. Did you develop those skills through your education, internship,
volunteer opportunity, and/or a job? What are your strengths and weaknesses? Identify
what things interests you and what things don't. Do you want to intern or do research
part-time or full-time? What type of work schedule do you want to work? How far are
you willing to commute to your experience and what type of work environment do you
prefer? Are you willing to take on an unpaid opportunity? (Note paid opportunities
are limited in availability) These are questions you want to know before you actually
begin searching for an experience.
This process can wear you out. Therefore, it is important to maintain a positive mind-set.
Write out a list of what you want from your future career. Research jobs in different
career fields. Identify what things interests you and what things don't. Knowing this
criteria ahead of time can impact the direction of your search, by helping you to
identify potential careers and jobs more clearly. You will also have a general understanding
of what you might experience and what you can expect. This research can also help
you market yourself more strategically, therefore making you a more competitive applicant.
If you are not sure how to narrow down your career goals or feel overwhelmed, don't
worry, many students have been in your shoes. You can always reach out to the Career Services Center (opens in new window) for help with this process.
You've narrow down your career goals. You've done your research. If you start to see
a number of gaps between what organizations are looking for on internship and research
program descriptions and your resume, you may not be ready for that particular role,
at this point in time. Reach out to the Career Services Center (opens in new window) for help in filling those voids. Sometimes you might need to seek out additional
training and/or education to add value to your resume. While other times, you might
need to gain the requisite skills at your current place of employment, another internship,
research, or volunteer opportunity.
Most internship and research applications require a resume/CV, cover letter, personal
statement, supplemental short essay questions, and/or depending on the industry, a
portfolio. This can take a lot of time to develop. Make sure these documents are up
to date. You will need separate written materials for each application, as what you
list on these documents must be relevant to each position. Don't forget to also contact
and identify 3 to 5 people who will agree to serve as your professional reference.
It is also helpful to make sure you have at least one professional-looking interview
outfit ready to go, a short elevator speech designed to introduce and sell yourself
and a professional voicemail message, email address and email signature.
What you don't realize is that most companies utilize an applicant tracking system
(ATS) software. Applications are now being rejected before even being seen by human
eyes. Employers use an ATS to collect, sort, scan and rank applicants they receive
for their open positions. The systems scans for specific keywords to determine if
the applicant should be pass along to the employer. Therefore, it is important to
read the posting description and use keywords in your resume. If the posting description
states you need experience with x, y, and z, then make sure you list x, y, and z experiences.
Make good use of your time and avoid being rejected by an ATS.
Take some time to make sure your online presence (Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn,
TikTok, etc.) is professional. Your online presence is essentially what someone sees
when they look you up online. The internet is forever, so be aware that what you do
and say in the cyberspace can follow you throughout your career. There are many people
who have lost their jobs because of what they have posted or what others have posted
about them. Just note that employers typically conduct a social media search while
they are vetting an candidate for a position. Posting content might help you develop
rapport with like-minded folks, but it can also as easily close door with others.
Internship and research search processes have a lot of contacts, follow-ups and actions
you have to complete. We recommend that you create one centralized document which
you can use to keep track of what internships and research opportunities you have
found, which organizations you have submitted materials to, which applications are
still pending, any anticipated deadlines, who you have reached out to for informational
interviews, referrals, etc. Some people create spreadsheets while others use software
applications. Use what works for you.
Contact the Career Services Center (opens in new window) and we can provide you with online resources you might need in order to find an internship
and/or research opportunity as well as how to receive academic credit for your internship
and/or research experience. We can also help you update your resume and cover letter
as well as prepare you for any interviews you may be offered. You can also visit HireSMC (opens in new window) , the online employer portal for the SMC community and find additional opportunities.
In addition to reaching to the Career Services Center, you might also want to connect
with your your family, friends, professors, mentors, former employers, academic counselors,
places you have volunteered at, SMC alums (opens in new window) , etc. Networking is an often overlooked strategy, but may be one of your best resources
for information. By networking, you might be able to connect you with people willing
to conduct informational interviews (opens in new window) with you or have valuable information on career and student based work opportunities.
Be sure to also thank these individuals for their time and knowledge.
Attend a Career Fair or event sponsored by the Career Services Center. This is a great
way to meet and network with professionals in your potential career fields. However,
before you attend a fair and/or event, make sure to take a look at who will be present
and be ready to quickly introduce yourself/give them your elevator pitch. This is
roughly 30 to 60 seconds, where you introduce yourself, your interest in the organization
and what they do, and what you want. Depending on the type of event, you may also
want to provide them with your resume. Always, politely ask for their business card/contact
information, and follow up with them right after the event. These are great opportunities
for you to find an internship, job, research, volunteer opportunity or ask for an informational interview (opens in new window) . Make sure to dress professionally.
After you have utilized the Career Services Center and your personal network, search
online every day for new internship and research opportunities. Competition for internships
is fierce. Search HireSMC (opens in new window) , professional organizations, major job boards like Indeed and Linkedin, local career
fairs and networking events, etc. You can also reach out directly to companies who
you think may be a good fit and who don't provide a list of opportunities on their
company website. However, understand that not all opportunities are good opportunities.
If you find an opportunity and you want another opinion, check with the Career Services Center (opens in new window) before submitting an application or contacting the employer.
Sometimes companies are too busy to invest time in developing an official Internship
and/or Research Program. However, they might welcome a proposal from a highly motivated
applicant who is willing to put in time and effort. Reach out to smaller companies,
labs, and nonprofits. They may be interested in looking for students to assist them
with short-term projects. You can always reach out to the Career Services Center (opens in new window) for help with this process.