Career Services Internship Manuel
Table of ContentsInternship BenefitsTimelineContacting Employers
Interview SkillsThank you cardsBefore you accept an internship How
to accept/decline an internshipWhat to do if no offer
comesProfessional Guidelines Internship report form Career Services
Internship GUIDE
Make the Connection to Internships!
Hello & welcome to the Career Services on-line guide to
internships. This online guide is meant to prepare you for the
internship-seeking phase including how to contact employers,
preparing for interviews, accepting or declining an offer, and
other guidelines to be successful with finding your internship.
Lets begin to Make the Connection to Internships!11 Month prior or
within the 1st week of internshipComplete an Internship Report Form
and submit it to Career
Services(ipfw.edu/offices/career/students/internships.html)
Throughout Internship Semester Maintain appropriate work hours
& performance as agreed upon by site supervisor Connect with
Career Services via a student appointment at least once during your
internshipParticipate in at least one site visit coordinated by
IPFW internship coordinator Complete an end-of-semester evaluation
and submit it to Career Services with logged work hours
(ipfw.edu/offices/career/students/internships.html)
TimelineMake the Connection to Internships!1 to 2 Months prior
to internship start dateContinue interviewing and contacting
employersWrite acceptance/rejection letter(s) based upon your
decisions
It is important to keep the internship coordinator updated on
all your contacts, progress and interviews that youre doing. The
internship coordinator will only continue to contact employers if
its known that youre doing your part as well.
As you interview, dont forget to ask the employers questions
that you want to know about their company. You will hopefully get
more than one interview and offer so you need to know how to make
that decision. Write acceptance and/or rejection letter(s) and send
to the employers. Well talk more about these letters later in the
presentation.
Once youve accepted an internship then notify the internship
coordinator, complete the Internship Report Form, and submit it to
Career Services. Dont forget that an internship is like a
professional job. You need to dress professionally, show up on
time, and adhere to business etiquette and other guidelines put
forth by the company. The internship coordinator will contact you
and your supervisor for one site-visit during the semester youre
interning to ensure both the student and the employer are having a
positive experience and its a learning experience.
During the last week of your internship you should complete
evaluations which are found online. You complete one about your
experience and your supervisor completes one about
you.4Timeline
Make the Connection to Internships!3 to 4 Months prior to
internship start dateAttend career and internship fairsResearch
companies and internship opportunities, and compare to FLSA
guidelinesComplete a resume critique with a career counselor and
submit a finalized resume to internship coordinatorApply for any
open internship positions through JobZone (www.ipfw.edu/jobzone),
Indiana INTERNnet (www.indianaintern.net), or by creating an
original opportunity with the assistance of Career Services4 to 5
Months prior to internship start dateComplete Internship Program:
Interest Form
(ipfw.edu/offices/career/students/internships.html)Write out goals
& objectives for your internship experiencePrepare a list of
companies with whom you would like to internCreate/Update your
resumeMeet with a career counselor (bring goals, companies, &
resume)2 to 3 Months prior to internship start dateComplete a mock
interview with a career counselorCall companies to inquire about
internships and interviewsBegin interviewing and follow up with
thank you notes
It can take up to 6 months or more to find a full-time
professional job. Our goal is to walk you through the job searching
process as a student so when graduation nears youre prepared to
have a successful job search. Youve probably already completed the
Interest Form online, but if not that would be the first thing to
do. Once youve completed the online form youll be contacted to meet
with a career counselor. The career counselor will help you revise
or create a resume, brainstorm goals, and a list of companies to
research. There is an internship booklet in the Career Services
office which you can use as a workbook for this whole process.
Once you met with a career counselor and updated your resume,
its time to meet with the Internship Coordinator. The Internship
Coordinator will review your goals, list of companies, and work
with you to create action steps to continue on the path of seeking
an internship. Every student seeking an internship needs to provide
the Internship Coordinator with an electronic copy of your resume.
Once the resume is received, then you & the internship
coordinator will split up your list of companies to begin
contacting. If youre concerned about how to contact companies and
what to say to employers, dont worry the internship coordinator can
coach you through this.
Once your resume is finished you can also search on JobZone and
Indiana INTERNnet for any open positions in which youre interested
in applying. The additional list of companies which you developed
and split up between you and the internship coordinator should be
companies not found on JobZone and Indiana INTERNnet. Its believed
that 80% of positions are in the hidden job market, meaning theyre
never publicly posted. The list of additional companies is meant to
break through the hidden job market by either contacting them to
inquire about opportunities or sending a stellar cover letter and
resume requesting more information and a chance to meet. Any Career
Counselor can assist you with cover letters and what to say to
employers, but the internship coordinator will go over any concerns
you might have.
As you begin and continue to contact companies and apply for
internships you should be hearing responses from employers
requesting interviews or a time to meet. Even if the employer asks
to meet with you but doesnt use the word interview, still treat it
like a formal interview because they want to meet to determine if
youll be a good intern for their company. Career Services can help
you prepare for the interview. We have mock interview appointments
available or if you just have some questions and want to know how
to prepare, we can help with that too. Dont forget to send a thank
you note to all employers you meet with for interviews.3Contacting
Employers Develop a list of companies or organizations thatcould
best fulfill your goals.
Make the Connection to Internships!You can review a list of
current internship openings through JobZone and Indiana
INTERNnet.If you're unsure of what other companies are in the area,
here are a few resources to use when doing your research:
Fort Wayne Chamber of Commerce Better Business Bureau United Way
of Allen County Leadership Fort Wayne Phone Book - Yellow Pages
Now that you know the essential timeline of obtaining and
completing an internship, lets back up a bit and talk about how to
brainstorm your list of potential companies or industries. Start by
trying to complete this statement: It would be so cool to work for.
Did you think of one or more companies or industries? If so, write
them down. If not, then there are more research avenues to
determine relevant companies. Check out JobZone at
www.ipfw.edu/jobzone and Indiana INTERNnet at
www.indianaintern.net. You can review the list of current
internship openings and see if any are of interest to you.
We do recommend you to create an additional list of companies,
not on JobZone or Indiana INTERNnet, so we can help you conduct
some cold calls to other employers. Check out any of the resources
listed here to start your research.
When it comes time to contact companies and inquire about
internships there are a few ways to go about this.Write a letter of
inquiry (there are samples in the career guide, in the cover letter
section) and send it with your resume to the companiesEmail a
contact at the companies inquiring about opportunities and your
interest in them. Be sure to attach your resume for their review.
(there is a sample email cover letter in the career guide, too)Call
the company and request to speak to someone regarding internships.
Introduce yourself and inquire about internship opportunities for
the semester in which youre hoping to intern. If theyre familiar
with internships and interested in seeing your resume ask what is
the best way to apply. Some may have you apply online through their
website first. Be sure to follow-up with the person you spoke with
on the phone and thank them for their time. Send him/her a thank
you letter and inform them that you did apply online and look
forward to hearing from them. Thank you letters are rare, so if you
send one then youll really stand out among the crowd.5Interview
SkillsTo best equip yourself for an interview you should prepare
before, during, and after the interview:
Before:Research the company and the positionPrepare for the
actual interview (use the Career Guide, section 8)Practice and
relax
After:Follow-up with a thank-you letterThank-you letters can be
handwritten, typed, or emailed Use the Career Guide, Cover Letter
Section, for an exampleDuring:Greet the interviewer with a firm
handshake, make eye contact and smileBe confident, alert, and
enthusiasticTake time to reflect before answering a difficult
question Be prepared to ask questions at the end of the interviewBe
conscious of your body language
Make the Connection to Internships!
After youve made all the phone calls and sent in all your
resumes and applications there should be some interview offers.
Dont get caught unaware, be sure to prepare for the interview.
Career Services offers mock interview appointments which help to
reduce the butterflies and provides you with additional questions
that the employer might ask.
Its very important to research the company! A common question
employers ask is Why do you want to intern with us? and you should
provide an answer that relates back to their mission or services.
If you answer something like I just want to get some experience
they may think, well you can get that experience anywhere why us?
Theres more information in the career guides interview section on
what to do before during and after the interview.
During the interview make sure youve dressed professionally and
smile to the interviewer and the other staff at the company. Be
confident and enthusiastic, a lot of employers will hire interns
based upon enthusiasm and character thats conveyed during the
interview. Make sure you ask questions at the end of the interview
(which you should have prepared while doing your research on the
company).
After the interview be sure to send thank you letters! Remember
this will help you stand out in a crowd. There are guidelines and
samples in the cover letter section of the career guide.6Thank You
Cards
This is one of the most important yet least used tools in a job
search.
The purpose is to establish good will, express appreciation,
and/or to strengthen your candidacy.
The basic rule of thumb is to send a letter to everyone who
helps you in any way. Thank-you letters should be sent within 24
hours to each contact.
Thank-you letters may be typed, handwritten, or e-mailed.
Make the Connection to Internships!
Here is some more information about writing thank you notes.
These samples can be found in the career guide. Thank you letters
gives you one more chance to get your name in front of the
employers and convey your enthusiasm about possibly interning with
them.
Even if youve decided after the interview that you dont want to
intern with that company, you should still send a thank you note.
They took time out of their day to review your resume and talk with
you about their company and internships. Its good karma to at least
thank them for their time. Send it within 24 hours either typed,
handwritten, or by email.7Deciding on an Internship
Does this internship match my interests and values? Would this
qualify as relevant experience?Does this internship help me achieve
my career goals?Does this internship meet the FLSA guidelines?
Should I wait to hear back from other companies?FLSA Guidelines:
wdr.doleta.gov/directives/attach/TEGL/TEGL12-09acc.pdf Quick Facts
about FLSA: www.dol.gov/whd/regs/compliance/whdfs71.pdf NY Times
article with additional information:
www.nytimes.com/2010/04/03/business/03intern.html?pagewanted=1Make
the Connection to Internships!
So how do you decide if this internship is a good one? Review
the goals you wrote at the beginning of the process, you should
have recorded them in the internship booklet. Does this internship
match your goals? Was there anything said during the interview that
made you lean one way or the other? When they described the duties
you would be doing for the internship, are they related to your
major?
If youre unsure about any of these, talk to the internship
coordinator in Career Services for assistance with analyzing your
options.
The other thing you should be aware of is the implications of
the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) with internships. The Fair
Labor Standards Act was developed by the US Department of Labor and
describes the difference between duties for an unpaid trainee (or
intern) and a paid employee. These links provide you with more
information about the guidelines and there is also information in
the Internship Booklet provided by IPFW Career Services. Know this:
the majority of for-profit employers should provide their interns
with compensation for the work they do, by at least minimum wage or
a salary comparable to their current pay-practices. The only way a
for-profit company would have an unpaid internship is if the
program follows the 6 guidelines outlined by the FLSA. Non-profit
organizations are different since they do not have a bottom line of
profit and any money that is made from unpaid interns are used
towards additional services to their clients.
This may seem complicated, but remember that its not your
responsibility to tell employers about the FLSA. Your
responsibility is to yourself and to bring questions to the
internship coordinator if youre unsure about an unpaid internship.
You have rights too, and we want to make sure youre not taken
advantage of.8
How to Accept or Decline an Internship Offer
Please refer to the Cover Letter section in our Career Guide
(available at http://new.ipfw.edu/dotAsset/213057.pdf or in KT
109)or contact Career Services for help with writing your
acceptance or rejection letter Make the Connection to
Internships!
Youve done your research and are certain this internship is
right for you and you want to commit a full semester to learning
more hands-on relevant experience related to your major. GREAT! Its
time to write the acceptance letter. These are very simple and
short messages conveying your acceptance of the position.
If you received multiple offers and you need to decline one or
more, then be sure to write a rejection letter to that employer. Be
careful not to be overly open about your reason for declining,
because if you want to consider them in the future youll want them
to have a professional impression of you. Also, remember that
employers talk to each other and you dont want to risk a negative
letter to be shared within their networks.
Be sure to follow the business letter format guidelines when
writing either letter. There are samples in the career guide in the
cover letter section.10
What to Do if No Offer Comes
Ask companies if you may follow up with them within the next
weekIf you do not hear from companies within a week call/email to
inquire about the status of their decisionContinue researching
other internship opportunities
Continue preparing for interviewsMake the Connection to
Internships!
Job Searching is like one continuous cycle until you achieve the
job offer. If you arent receiving any offers then you have a few
options.
Ask the companies if you may follow up with them within a
weekMost are open to this and it reminds the companies of your name
and that youre eager to work for them. This characteristic speaks
very highly to employers. Never challenge or question their process
of hiring, but it is okay to inquire about the timeline for hire
and restate your interest.
If you dont hear from companies within a week of interviewing,
call or email to inquire about the status of their decisionThe
previously stated benefits of following up are still true. But, if
the employer adamantly states that they will contact you then
please be respectful of their wishes.
Continue with the search processKeep researching other
companies, applying for openings on JobZone and Indiana INTERNnet,
and preparing for interviews. The searching process doesnt end
until you have an offer in hand.11Professional Guidelines
M A I N T A I NP R O F E S S I O N A L I S MArrive on time
everydayKnow and follow company dress codesDo not get on Facebook
or other social networking sites while at workPut your cell phone
on silent; dont text message during work hours Dont use company
resources for personal useNo matter how bad of a day you had at
your internship, DO NOT post negative comments about the company or
its employees on the internetMake the Connection to
Internships!
Remember that an internship is a professional position. About
60% of interns are offered full-time positions by their company and
another 20% are offered a position by a company with whom they
networked during the internship. So, if you have an 80% chance of
getting a job offer, make sure to take full advantage of the
internship process. (click) We dont want you to be in the category
of interns that do not get job offers. Usually the job offers wont
come if there is a lack of professionalism.
So, remember these tips so you dont hang yourself during the
internship. (click)Arrive on time everydayKnow and follow company
dress codesDo not get on Facebook or other social networking sites
while at workPut your cell phone on silent; dont text message
during work hours Dont use company resources for personal useNo
matter how bad of a day you had at your internship, DO NOT post
negative comments about the company or its employees on the
internet12
Internship Report Form
Please complete the Internship Report Form and submit it to
Career
Servicesipfw.edu/offices/career/students/internships.html
Make the Connection to Internships!
Dont forget one of the requirements is to submit the Internship
Report Form to the Internship Coordinator in Career Services. This
usually is completed within the first week of the internship. If
this is not submitted then IPFW cannot validate your
internship.
13
Make the Connection to Internships!Congratulations!TAKE THE
QUIZ
https://purdue.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_exnC2Z49bGGOtOQ
Congratulations you made it through the online internship prep
guide. Now click on this link to take the quiz and record your
completion of this task in your internship booklet provided to you
by Career Services. Dont forget to connect back with the internship
coordinator or a career counselor to show your progress and
continue on the path to finding an internship.14