How to Find an Internship

The internship experience is intended to replicate true employment. This includes the job search and selection process. Your job search should be done in an organized manner for best results. An important aspect of this search is to start early. Nine months to a year in advance is not too early to begin an investigation for your internship.

You must be prepared to compete with other candidates for the job. Most employers recruit from several universities for their internship positions. The Academic Internship Office does not assign students to employers or positions. However, we can guide and support your efforts to identify and apply for a position that matches your career and professional development goals.

Before you start looking

Talk with your Academic Adviser on the sequence of courses and when would be the best time to plan to do an internship. Talk with them also about the number and type of credits. Should you enroll in the internship course in your major or as a university elective through the Internship Office?

Think about which faculty you would like to be your faculty sponsor. To find a faculty sponsor, contact your academic department and ask which faculty sponsors interns for your area of specialization. If there is not a designated faculty to sponsor interns, you can ask someone you would prefer to be your faculty sponsor. It needs to be someone you are comfortable with and will be able to ask for support during your internship experience. Meet with that person and talk about your plans to do an internship and what you will learn from it. Ask or confirm that he/she will be your sponsor when you have your internship. If you need guidance on where to find what you want, ask if he/she can help you. You must have a faculty sponsor to register for credit for your internship. Your department faculty can be your internship sponsor even if you register for elective credits.

Where to look

If guidance of your faculty sponsor on finding an internship doesn’t yield anything that matches what you are seeking, use our Internship Database or other resources, including your department bulletin boards, to find what you want. If you are interested in international internships, consider visiting the Wang Center in person or looking at their website.

If you don’t find what you want there, prepare to move into an open search. The Academic Internship Office can help you with this process. Call 253-535-7324 or email intern@plu.edu to make an appointment. The QuickLinks on the right side of this page may also be a good place to start.

The Career Development and the Academic Internship Office sponsor a Career and Internship Fair each year in October and March. Many of the employers who attend this event have internship opportunities. You should use that event to look into opportunities and ask questions.

Ask your family and friends if they know anyone who works in the area you are seeking. If so, ask if you may contact them for possible leads for an internship experience. People are generally flattered when you ask for their help as it is an unstated compliment that you respect them and trust that they are a professional in their field.

Individual employer sites, temporary employment agencies and Job Services have full-time, part-time, temporary, and seasonal positions listed. Study the position description carefully to determine if it will meet the requirements for an internship experience. Be sure, in your discussions with the employer, to ask if they would be willing to work with you as an intern. They will want to know the kind of a commitment that the internship would require and you need to be able to tell them. You will find that information in the Employers section of our website. You may also take an employer brochure with you (available from the Academic Internship Office), or you may refer them to the Academic Internship Office for more information.

Know yourself

If you know yourself, you will be able to identify a category of employers or a category of jobs that will most likely match your needs and expectations.

First, know what you want. What do you want to learn in your internship? What kind of an employer do you want… large, small, local or elsewhere, for profit or nonprofit, product or service…those kinds of things. Think about your preferences. What kind of work do you want? "I would like a job where I would ….." What kind of work environment do you prefer? "I would like to work with people who treat others ……."; "I would like a boss who ..." You may not know the answer to all of these, but have an idea about what you prefer.

Next, review your skills, abilities, and personal characteristics. Be candid and be aware of what you are using as a comparison. Compared to what do you do something well? Compared to what do you do poorly? In other words, why do you think you are good or not so good at something? What have you learned from your academic program? What have you learned or how have you benefited from your prior work and/or volunteer experience? All experience is valuable, consider all types of work you have done in the past about three years.

Next, what do you know about what your preferred employer is looking for in a possible candidate for the work you want to do? Take a look at the web sites of several employers who might offer the type of experience you are looking for. What does it indicate are important skills, abilities, and characteristics to be successful? Make a list of what employers want.

Then, beside that list, write how well you meet each item on the employers list. Be honest and candid. What are your strengths and weaknesses? What do you do well and what have you not yet mastered? Are there things on the employer list that you can’t do? How would you overcome that? What can you learn before you start your internship? Can it be part of your internship learning experience? How can your employer help you develop in that area?

If you are at a loss with these questions or are considering using an Internship to help you choose a major or decide on a career field, you may benefit from visiting with a career counselor in the Career Development Office or the Counseling Center. They can guide you in assessing these things and may also suggest you complete an assessment "test." These are easy and usually don't take long. I encourage you to use all the resources available to you. A career counselor can help you understand the outcome of the "test." The purpose is not to tell you what to do, but rather to suggest what your responses have indicated you are likely to be good at. The Career Development website also has a section titled "What Can I do with a Major in...?" that lists links to websites that help you connect majors with careers and things to consider if that area is interesting to you.

Managing your Job Search

You will need to develop a list of prospective employers. Remember, the job you are seeking must be appropriate for you and related to your major and/or career goals.

A true search requires some tracking of contacts and responses. Many forms have been developed and you can design your own method. This is a suggested format to help you follow through with a professional search.

Now you’re ready for contact

Now you are ready to contact the employer and make your application. Afraid you will blow it in your conversation with the employer? Make an appointment with the Director of the Internship Office for some help, guidance and tips on talking with employers and professionals. Set yourself up for success!

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