The job prob

How (and why) to get that internship

By Amber Harding with Kristen Pope, MS

Internships are the “new interview”—your most likely route to a job, according to surveys of students, graduates, and employers. Here, experts say why.

studentvoice

Question: How much does an internship matter to employers?
Answer: A whole lot. “When I’m reviewing resumés for internships, I always look more seriously at the person who has practical experience.” Ken Graham, Director of Training and Professional Services, Adecco Canada

Question: What exactly can an internship do for me?
Answer: Determine if you’re on the right path. ”Internships can help you discover what might be the wrong sector for you. Even if [your internship] doesn’t pan out as a career, it’s still an opportunity to build your network.”  Alan Kearns, Founder of Career Joy, a national career counselling and coaching firm

Question: I’m not sure what career I’m aiming for, so how can I choose an internship?
Answer: Follow your strengths. “Ask yourself what you’re deeply passionate about, what you’re great at, and enlist the help of others to expose you to [internships in] professions or careers you may never have heard about.” Katie Bennett, Professional Certified Career Coach and President of Double Black Diamond Coaching in Vancouver, British Columbia

Question: I can’t afford to take an unpaid internship.Am I doomed?
Answer: No. “Focus on the transferable skills you are developing in any job you take on. Any experience you gain will clarify your interests and strengthen your skill set.”  Nikki Clarke, former Career Counsellor at the University of Ottawa, Ontario

Question: How can I make my summer serving ice-cream sound like a UN position?
Answer: You can’t. But you can highlight skills that apply across industries. “If I was a server, I would emphasize conflict resolution skills and demonstrate my ability to make a dissatisfied customer satisfied again.” Ken Graham

Seven out of ten companies with 100+ employees offered full-time roles to their interns in 2012. They expected to hire more interns going forward.

Two in three employers say relevant work experience and interview performance are the most important factors in hiring (well ahead of academic performance).

Have a plan
5 steps to an intriguing internship & how they apply to two examples:

Steps to a dynamic internship

Example: business major aiming for theater internship

1. Start searching for opportunities 3-6 months in advance. Applying your skills in unexpected contexts can broaden your appeal to employers.
   Research local theatre companies, upcoming production schedules, and contacts (e.g., theatre directors, set coordinators).
2. Identify two realistic ways your current skills could benefit the organization.
   • Generate some extra ticket sales
   • Reduce set costs
3. Email the contacts you identified. Include a cover letter and your résumé. Explain why you are interested in this field and their business specifically.
   Let them know of your love of theater, how much you admired their recent production, and how you could contribute.
4. Prepare for a phone conversation. Know what you could contribute to the organization, and ask what they need. Be flexible.
   You want to reduce the production budget, they need you to work on publicity? Adjust.
5. Discuss a particular goal for your internship.
   A goal (e.g., reviewing expenses or identifying inefficiencies) will provide focus and add marketable skills to your résumé.

Steps to a dynamic internship

Example: public relations major aiming for organic farm internship

1. Start searching for opportunities 3-6 months in advance. Applying your skills in unexpected contexts can broaden your appeal to employers.
   Check out farms locally and further away (some may provide housing).
2. Identify two realistic ways your current skills could benefit the organization.
   Social media campaign:
   • Raise awareness of benefits of organic food productio
   • Attract customers
3. Email the contacts you identified. Include a cover letter and your résumé. Explain why you are interested in this field and their business specifically.
   Outline briefly your communication experience, why you care about organic farming, and how you could contribute to their business.
4. Prepare for a phone conversation. Know what you could contribute to the organization, and ask what they need. Be flexible.
   While you may be fired up about a Twitter campaign, the farmers may be more interested in website content.
5. Discuss a particular goal for your internship.
   Establish realistic metrics in for social media engagement, page views, etc., and ways to measure your impact on farm sales.