Career and Scholarship Center
Internship Guide
It’s never too early to begin your internship search. Visit the Career and Scholarship Center, located in Building 1A, Room 105, to learn about the resources and tools that are available to assist you.
What is an Internship?
An internship is a temporary position related to a student’s career goals or field of study. The primary focus of an internship is getting some on the job training and taking what is learned in the classroom and applying it to the real world. An internship may last anywhere from one month to a year but typically lasts for an academic semester (approximately 15 weeks for fall or spring) or for summer (approximately 12 weeks). Internships can be found at private corporations, government offices, and nonprofit organizations.
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Types of Internships
- For Credit – Internships can be built into your academic program, providing credit toward graduation. Some companies stipulate that they only provide internships for credit. If you hope to receive academic credit for your internship, you must first get approval from the relevant academic department, and then register for the internship (as with a regular class), using the department’s internship registration code.
- Paid – A paid internship is similar to part time employment only the work should be career related. Paid internships offer anywhere from a minimum wage to $12.00 per hour.
- Stipends – Some internships will pay a small reimbursement at the end of the experience or will pay small sums periodically to cover transportation or lunch expenses.
- Unpaid – Some firms will provide an opportunity to work in the field without any remuneration or credit awarded. Do not look at this as doing something for nothing! The invaluable contacts and skills you will garner from this experience far outweigh the small dollar amount you would have received. The experience will make you more marketable after graduation and may help you get that first job! These benefits alone are immediate pay- back for the time spent.
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Why Intern?
- Explore career options related to your interests, skills, values, and personality
- Determine if an career path is the appropriate one for you
- Apply classroom learning to the workplace
- Develop and enhance your professional skills
- Build your resume
- Gain valuable career-related experience. This relevant work experience can give you the competitive edge
- Develop a network of professional contacts for future opportunities and references
- Get your foot in the door of an organization you are interested in working for
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Internship Etiquette
Although you may not be on the payroll as a full time employee, you are still considered part of the office team. You will have responsibilities and tasks that must be completed in a timely manner. Provide the same level of professionalism you would bring to any job:
- Be reliable and on time.
- Work on your assignments with attention to detail.
- Learn as much as you can about the industry and the daily operation of your office.
- Dress appropriately; follow the dress code of your colleagues and if unsure, ask what type of dress is expected of you.
- Try to avoid involving yourself in office politics. You will be there for a short duration of time so work to your maximum potential. You may be considered for future employment based on your job performance as an intern!
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Internship Follow-up
Upon completion of your internship you should ask for a letter of recommendation from your immediate supervisor and any other people you may have worked with on projects. You probably interned for the opportunity to have people in your network of contacts so stay in touch with them by calling or stopping in occasionally.
Write a thank you note to your supervisor after you have completed the internship whether you liked the experience or not. It is a common courtesy and this person may be able to aid in your job search at a later date.
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Finding an Internship
- Career and Scholarship Center – To learn more about internships and the opportunities that exist, visit the Career and Scholarship Center, located in Building 1A – Room 105 or call us at 718-982-2300.
- Career Fairs – Many employers come to career fairs seeking interns. This is a great opportunity for students to meet human resource representatives and explore possible internships within their companies.
- Networking – This is a very effective way to explore internship possibilities. You should advise many of your contacts that you are seeking an internship in a particular field or area. Let professors, alumni, former employers, relatives and friends know that you are looking for an internship.
- Optimal – Sign-up now for Optimal to view the wide range of internship opportunities offered by the Career and Scholarship Center. Go to: www.csicuny.optimalresume.com and set-up your student account. Please call the CSI Career and Scholarship Center for the access code.
- Internships.com – Explore the largest internship database in the world with over 19,000 opportunities offered nationwide! Go to: www.internships.com to set-up your student account.
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Useful Web Sites
Healthcare Employment
Search Thousands of Entry Level Jobs, Externships, & Scholarship Opportunities on CampusRN.
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