InternshipRatings.com

By Melissa Cech

AustraLearn Internship Department

The classroom is but one of many places to obtain an education and real life skills. Students can opt for a broader experience by participating in college internship programs. Internships for college graduates and undergraduates alike provide valuable work skills vital in today’s competitive job market. Students can even earn college credit for participation in some programs.

When evaluating the available opportunities, students seeking an experience above and beyond the norm can chose to participate in an internship abroad. Of particular note are New Zealand and Australia internship programs. These offer distinct benefits beyond work and educational experience.

The Benefits of Australia and New Zealand Internship Programs

There are several compelling reasons why college internships in the South Pacific are a great choice for students seeking a college experience of distinction.

• Cultural Immersion—An internship abroad in Australia or New Zealand provides more than work experience. It allows student to live and work side by side with Australian or New Zealand nationals, providing a unique glimpse into the culture and society. The experience leaves a lasting impression and affects the students’ perspective on the world and their place in it. Participants in New Zealand and Australia internship programs find the experience better equips them to communicate and relate to people of different cultures with ease. It also imbibes a greater appreciation for cultural differences and similarities.

• Professional Development–College internships are an excellent option for recent graduates as well as undergraduates. They provide the training needed to succeed in a career, as well as practical experience critical in qualifying for gainful employment. While an internship in general provides the opportunity for real-world experience, an internship abroad in the South Pacific includes experience in a global setting; truly a distinctive addition to any resume.

• Appreciation of Natural Splendor–A summer internship in Australia is a fantastic way to experience the beauty of Australia in a much deeper way than you might if you were to visit for a short vacation. Being able to take the time to explore all of the wonderful scenery and sites available, such as the deserts, rain forests, and beaches, is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity that is possible through Australia summer internships.

•Affordability–It is expensive to attend college, but if you would like to experience a foreign country, then an Australia summer internship can be a cost-effective way to spend time in a new area of the world and experience it for yourself.

International internships offer students amazing opportunities to gain professional work experience while learning to be adaptable and understanding of other cultures. These characteristics improve the marketability of an individual and are a great way to build a resume for gainful future employment.

For more information:
AustraLearn

12050 N. Pecos Street

Suite 320

Westminster, Co. 80234

USA

Toll Free: 1-800-980-0033

studyabroad@australearn.org

www.australearn.org

By Allese Thomson Baker
Community Manager
Wesabe

Internships. A word of many colors for the college student; potential job, waste of time, stimulating taste of the “real word”, an endless hell of envelope stuffing, networking extravaganza, unpaid misery.  I’ve had plenty internships, luckily more that fit into the positive rather than negative category. Still, finding an internship that’s not only worth your time, but pays off your time, is not an easy task.

I can attest to this as during my last year at UC Berkeley, I quit my very well paying job as a waitress (that is, well paying for a college student- tips! tips!), to take an internship at an Internet start up. At the time I struggled with the pay cut, but upon graduation, was offered a comfy salaried position, with job-description way more interesting than any entry-level job I could have hoped for.

By searching for an internship where I could showcase my skills and think outside the box and then doing everything I could to be a valuable asset to the team, I was able to maximize my internship experience. I believe anybody can do this, and to virtually any internship. Here are few tips that I believe we’re central to my success.

Consider applying at a start-up
While working at a new company may not have the same name-brand appeal as working for an established company, start-ups are a lot leaner and chances are you’ll get to do much more “real” work. Also, because the company is trying to get its feet off the ground, the work you do makes and impact and the “big bosses” can see it. During my Wesabe internship, I interacted with the CEO (and most everyone else in the company) nearly every day, and attended company meetings.

Do Your Homework
Prior to your interview, research your potential new company (spend time- I am talking a few hours, not a few minutes- on their web site or see where their product is at in a store, read up on competitors, etc.). Takes notes and keep all this information in a notebook. During your interview, give some thoughts/feedback that shows you know, (1) a lot about their company and (2) to do research and have analytical skills. Transform the interview into dialogue by asking thoughtful questions.

To ease those nerves and help with prep, I would suggest brainstorming a list of questions in your notebook about your prospective position and the company in general. During your interview and ask those questions- remember you’re interviewing them too.

Be The Go-To Person At All Times
When you start, aim to be that responsible go-to person that can efficiently and quickly accomplish any task asked.

When I started at Wesabe, the CEO left me at my new desk and said he’d email me my first task. The subject line read: Competitive Matrix. I opened it. The contents: “Please use this model as the basis for your list. Best, Jason.” Attached was a list of the competition.”

That was it. I friggin’ freaked out. What the f$%^ was a competitive matrix? There was nothing else, no direction, no how-to, no example. So, I got resourceful, began googling, called everybody I knew about that might know what a competitive matrix. I checked out the competition. I pieced things together. When I had a grasp of what this competitive beast and our competition, I headed back to his office and asked if I was headed in the right direction. Turns out I had some things right and some things wrong. But my research made me look capable, responsible and like self-starter.

Be innovative: Think before you ask
Before you say, “I don’t know” or “I need help”, think, where could I find this answer? What other resources could help me answer this? Every single time, I do this before asking a question, I almost always find it’s something I could answer myself.

Additionally, “I don’t know” questions are always better, when you posed as, “In response to x task, I checked a, b, and c, resources and found d, is this the direction you’d like me to follow?”
Think like the CEO

When in doubt, think about what you could do that would best benefit the company. Really think, brainstorm, about how you expand your duties to help the company succeed, and then do it without being asked.

Take Notes and Always Have To – Do List
Whenever you meet with your boss, bring a pen and notebook and take COPIOUS notes. After your meeting has finished, recap the major points/deliverables to your boss, so you can make sure your both on the same page.

After the meeting, I often summarize the contents of my notes and then try to think outside the box. Given these priorities, what else can I do to help the company succeed?  I add these to my to-do list.

If you’re going to take an internship, put in all you’ve got and chances are you’ll get it back two-fold. If you don’t feel you can do the extra work to maximize your internship (researching one that’s worth your time, preparing for the interviews, going the extra mile when hired), than it probably won’t be worth your time or not being paid. Putting that extra 110% means your actually exploring a career and building a foundation and network for your own career. And, that, I believe, is absolutely worth it.

Allese Thomson Baker is the community manager at Wesabe (www.wesabe.com), an online money management tool and community. Allese graduated this past May from UC Berkeley with a degree in the History of Art and transformed her student Internship into a full time job. She now lives in San Francisco and is usually found raving about contemporary art and social media, buried in a book or playing with her dog, Riley.

By Karla A. Stevenson
PhD Candidate
Department of Communication Studies
The University of Iowa

Sometimes a career in something you love could be right under your nose! It’s ok not to know what you want to do with the rest of your life right now – but interning is a great way to explore career options while not making huge, life-changing decisions. A good place to start is thinking about the brands you like, media you consume, and non-profits you support.
If there is a company you like, a product you use, a brand you can’t get enough of, or a cause you donate your time to, you might want to think about interning there. Even if it is not in the exact field you are getting your degree in, it’s a foot in the door and may give you the option of doing a second internship or getting an entry level job in your chosen field with that organization. After all, they will know you, know your work ethic and know that you have already acclimated to their company’s culture. So explore different possibilities within the same organization – it might lead you down a new career path!

For example: Say you’re a Marketing major and HUGE Miami Dolphins fan. You might want to explore possibilities with that organization, but even if all they have open is an internship in Sales, you might want to consider taking it. While you are there, give 110% to your sales internship responsibilities but also make friends with the staff in the Marketing Department while you’re at it. When the time comes for applications for Marketing interns for the next semester or summer, you will have contacts AND a knowledge of the organization that other applicants won’t have.

Plan of attack

1. Look on the company’s website and see if they have an internship program. If they do, follow the directions and apply. If they don’t, then call the human resource department and ask if they take applications for internships and if so, in what areas of the company. Also ask who the person(s) is that you address your cover letter.

2. Assuming you’re on Linkedin – you can search by company and see if you have any mutual contacts. If you do – ask them to arrange an introduction. If you don’t, spend some time looking closely at employee profiles. Find out where they went to school, what their majors were, and what groups they are members of. It’s ok to be nosy! There’s even a Linkedin application that allows people to post what books they’re reading. Use all this info to figure out what qualities you possess that they value!

3. Taylor your resume to the intern position in question, tweak your cover letter to argue that you are a great fit for interning there, proofread your resume and cover letter, convert both docs to a PDF and send that baby off! If you are mailing it in, remember to use nice, thick, expensive feeling resume paper.

If you don’t hear back in a week or so, follow up with an email or phone call.

By Dan Klamm
Outreach & Marketing Coordinator
Syracuse University Career Services

As a Career Services professional at Syracuse University, I work with lots of intelligent, creative, capable students who would make wonderful interns at a variety of organizations.  They come to me seeking to strengthen their resume, tailor their cover letter, or formulate the perfect response to “What is your biggest weakness?”…yet sometimes they undermine all of this hard work with the content of their online social network profiles.

When I tell students that many employers “Google” them as part of a background check, they are surprised; some students call it “stalking.”  I would disagree - in fact, I think it’s a surprisingly cheap and effective way for employers to get a quick snapshot of a potential intern before investing resources in hiring and developing his/her talents.

Google your name; see what pops up among the top search results.  For many students (and non-students), it is their profiles on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, and other popular networking sites.  Does your content on these sites reinforce the message that you are a smart, reliable, low-drama potential intern?  Put yourself in an employer’s shoes.  If you’re faced with hiring Internship Candidate A (who has a clean online image, and maybe even some positives like a well-written LinkedIn profile or a newspaper article about one of his accomplishments), or Internship Candidate B (who has a public Twitter profile which talks about smoking pot and regularly blacking out from alcohol consumption) - who would you hire, all other qualifications being equal?  Most would go with Candidate A, who appears to be less of a liability and more likely to perform reliably on the job.

So before you pour time and energy into making the perfect resume or crafting the ideal answer to interview questions, take a look at what your online presence is saying about you.  If an employer Googles your name, will they be impressed or turned off?

Some simple steps to building an internship search-friendly online presence:

-          Don’t post online about illegal activities that you’re involved in…especially on public sites which pop up first when someone Googles your name.

-          Utilize the privacy settings on your Facebook account.

-          Use Twitter to post smart and relevant content; if you’re posting questionable stuff, privatize your account so only friends can view it.

-          Create a LinkedIn profile to show off your educational/professional accomplishments and ambitions.

-          Start a blog to display your subject area expertise and writing skills.

I was a college student just over a year ago; I know what it’s like.  Having fun and doing some crazy things are part of the college experience.  However, posting about these activities (particularly the illegal ones) can have a significant negative impact as you look for internships (and in the future, full-time jobs).  Don’t let something as small as an off-color tweet be the reason you don’t get hired for an internship.  If you’re putting attention and work toward the other parts of the internship search, it’s time you devote just as much energy to your online presence.

By Nancy Sterling
Senior VP, Strategic Communications
ML Strategies

What attributes does a great intern possess and what pitfalls can he/she easily avoid?

I have experienced internships from all angles.  At Boston College, I was a teaching assistant to the Chairman of the Communications Department which meant that I had a voice in internship assignments.  Then I was an intern myself, first at the NBC station in Boston and then at its ABC counterpart.  I never would have been offered my first job in television, right out of college, if I had not had that experience.  At the latter job, I was in charge of managing the TV news internship program.  Finally, in my current position, we utilize interns in our crisis communications practice.

Let me offer five rules that may seem basic, but I have personally experienced interns who did not follow them and seen the impact on a professional environment.

1. Always have a notepad and pen at a meeting, whether it is a client gathering or a one-on-one with your boss.  I had one intern to whom I gave a pen and notebook during a session and she still showed up without those basics the next time!

2. Let your boss know your schedule and any changes as soon as possible.  He/she is trying to run a business and will likely be amenable to a change with enough notice.  However, the boss does not want to find out the week before the semester ends that this will be your last week!

3. Proofread your documents before you present them.  A supervisor is going to think a lot less of an intern whose one page document has one or more errors!

4. If in doubt, check it out!  No matter how proactive you are trying to be, if you are uncertain about how to handle an assignment, do not just plunge ahead.  Wait and double check.

5. Act like this is your real job.  Whether you are working for course credit or money, be the best all around employee that you can be.

These tips to the top will give you the tools to move from being an intern to being a valued member of the staff.

By Ian Spector
Entrepreneur and Bestselling Author
IanJSpector.com

Always take advantage of your situation. If you like where you’re at and might want to work there again, get to know the fully-employed people you work with, get to know their boss, get to know their boss’ boss if you can. If you do good work, and that’s the underlying assumption for all of this, these people will want to work with you again! Ask them questions, get deeply engaged with the work you’re assigned. Be (appropriately) fanatical. Impressive dedication to your work will make a long-lasting impression upon your superiors. You should also stay in touch with those people occasionally throughout the academic year after the internship ends. If you play your cards right, you might just land yourself a full-time gig when the time is right!

By Maxine Sugarman
Director, Co-op & Career Services
Pace University, NYC Campus

After more than 20 years of working in a College Career Center I want to share a few pieces of advice that I believe can make a difference in your success while you are in college:

1.    Get friendly with a career counselor at your university.
Why? So that you have an unbiased individual to discuss your career dreams and fears with, or even to talk about your choice of major, minors, study abroad considerations and all things relevant to your four years of college.  Career Counselors have your best interest in mind and can oftentimes makes suggestions or point you in the right direction as you navigate through your years as a college student. They can certainly be helpful to you when you are seeking your first job after college or want to discuss plans for graduate school. So don’t be shy…. make an appointment to meet with a career counselor at your University and stay connected with that individual throughout your four years of college. In some instances that “friendship” might very well endure post college graduation as you navigate your way through the world of work.

2.    Set your sites on an internship, or two or three or more for that matter
It is commonly expected that most college students will complete at least one internship before they graduate. Usually that goal is based on your own  desire to try out new experiences and build clarity on what you like and do not like in a work environment. But keep in mind that employers  rate previous work experience as one of the most desirable traits in college graduates and also view internships and Co-ops as a highly effective technique for recruiting and retaining young talent.  Some internships are paid, some unpaid and some for credit; but all internships have one thing in common: they will provide you with an invaluable laboratory for self analysis. Internships are the best way to test your interest in a certain industry, to build a network of professional contacts or to gain a leg up on the competition.

3.    Be a sponge about all matters related to your career dreams
Yes soak up information! Start to collect information about all things relevant to your career interests; even if it is as basic as creating a folder to hold all relevant articles, websites etc. that you come across. You see, this gathering of career information is ongoing and lifelong. I oftentimes describe the career Information gathering process as if it is a scavenger hunt. You are setting out on a scavenger hunt to uncover all the necessary clues that will best inform you about the career path you are interested in pursuing. Sometimes those clues might inform you that a particular career is not for you or sometimes those clues might further your interest and excitement about a particular career.  So go ahead and soak up as much career information as you can by reading, researching and interviewing individuals who are already doing the kind of work that you think you want to be doing.

4.    Get involved!
Join a campus club, activity or group and immerse yourself in the activities of that organization. Most colleges are filled with a wide array of social, cultural, religious, political and pre-professional groups who welcome active student participation. On many campuses new clubs or organizations can even be started. Getting involved on campus will help you to better know yourself, discover some additional interests and abilities and ultimately will develop your leadership skills. Community based organizations are other potential sources for your involvements.
Whatever the group might be, just get involved and watch how you become a more interesting, multifaceted and capable individual who is better able to articulate your skills and capabilities.

5.    Step out of your comfort zone
Yes you heard me….try out a course that interests you or join a club that is of interest to you. College is the best time to experiment with ideas about majors, interests, political views etc. Step out of yourself, take a chance on a new interest or hobby. Maybe in high school you felt too pigeon holed as a jock, artist, intellectual, musician etc.   Well here’s an opportunity to challenge yourself and to gain more knowledge about yourself. If it seems like a daunting task to volunteer in class to be a project leader or to sign up to be on the board of a student group then do it… push yourself to step out of your comfort zone and grow. You will surprise yourself and in the process and I know that you will build your skills and expand your interests. What better way to step out of your comfort zone than to plan on a semester abroad? You will never be the same after that life transforming experience.

6.    Set Personal Goals & Persist
Set personal goals that you want to accomplish each semester or each year and write those goals down; being as specific as you can. For instance: second semester of my Freshman Year I plan to make an appointment with a counselor in the Career Center or first semester of my sophomore  year I plan to get information  about study abroad opportunities or next year I plan to work for the student newspaper. Be sure to keep your goals in a visible place so that you do no forget about them; then take action. Make that appointment, join that club etc.  Dream big and persist in every way that to can. Whatever it is that you want to accomplish; begin it! The shear act of taking one baby step at a time will set you in motion.

7.    Don’t Curb your enthusiasm
Show your enthusiasm, motivation and positive attitude about beginning an internship, signing up for a course, joining a club/ organization, learning a new language or volunteering at a youth center. Being enthusiastic about an involvement has a ripple effect of drawing people in and expanding your own horizons. Enthusiasm is contagious and leaves a positive impact! Avoid negativity as it has a way of killing a positive attitude.

8.    Be  assertive—not passive or aggressive
You may already be aware of your communication style. Are you:

Passive: not speaking up.
Aggressive: speaking up in an overly demanding way
Passive-aggressive: saying one thing and doing another
Assertive: expressing yourself in a clear, direct and responsible manner

The most effective and positive form of communication is obviously assertive. This manner of communication allows for each person to be heard, understood and respected. Assertive behavior allows for both individuals to stand up for his or her rights without denying others their rights. Try to honestly examine your mode of communicating and strive to become more assertive. You may want to read more about how to develop an assertive communication style.

9.    Find a mentor
My definition of a mentor is an individual who can encourage or inspire you to stay true to your goals and dreams. That individual should be willing to listen and engage in conversation with you as you try to determine the direction of your life. This person should be committed to your success and someone that you look up to. To find a good mentor consider all the people that you know including: college advisors, counselors, professors, individuals in your community, friends, family members, job/internship supervisors, or people associated with your hobbies. Look for someone that exemplifies the traits and skills that you want to adopt then be proactive and approach that individual requesting that you set up times to talk. Next ask that individual if you can keep a dialogue/relationship going through occasional appointments or through  more regularly scheduled times to meet and discuss anything relevant to your future plans. Remember that most people are flattered to be asked for their advice, so don’t be afraid to reach out and ask an admired individual to be your mentor.

10.    Enjoy Yourself!
Try to enjoy your college years! Make sure that you schedule time for  socializing and to participate in some fun activities. Check out what’s happening on campus or in the neighborhood. Perhaps you want to join a gym, go to a dance club, attend a party or get tickets for a concert.. Just be sure that you schedule time for relaxation and fun….you deserve it !

Well, these are just some of the things that I know to be true from my perspective as a Director of a College Career Center. Remember that everyone on a college campus is committed to your success and achievement…that is the purpose of our roles and respective jobs. So don’t hesitate to reach out to a professor, academic advisor, career counselor or staff member and ask for any assistance that you need. Good Luck! I know that you can accomplish all that you set out to do!

By Laura Jacobs, Internship Coordinator
University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Career & Leadership Development

As the spring semester wraps up, thoughts begin to turn towards summer internships. No doubt the most popular time to intern, summer provides ample opportunity for gaining career-related experience. Here are some tips for starting your summer internship off on the right foot.

• Contact your supervisor at least a week before your first day.
It is a good idea to check in with your supervisor in advance of your first day, especially if you secured the internship before or early in the spring semester. Confirm your start date, hours you are scheduled to work, and where to report when you arrive. You might also ask what the organization’s summer work attire expectations are for interns. If you ask about clothing far enough in advance, it leaves time to shop for a few more basics should you need them.

• Develop good habits right away.
It is much easier to establish good habits from the beginning of your internship than trying to erase bad habits later on. A good habit to establish is arriving to work a little early, so start this on your first day. This conveys responsibility and enthusiasm, and it will make a good impression on your supervisor and co-workers. How early is early? For one of my summer jobs in college, getting to work five minutes early was considered on time and arriving at the actual start time was considered late. I established really good habits that summer; you can, too.

• Observe everything.
Workplace insight is one benefit of an internship. Your internship site is your learning lab for the summer, so find out everything you can about it. Pick up on the workplace culture by taking note of how people interact with one another and how people dress. You will begin to learn what is expected of you and how to conduct yourself at work. What’s more, workplace fit is an important consideration for your permanent job search, and workplace culture is an important part of personal fit. Identify what you like and don’t like in your internship environment so you can figure out what you do and don’t want for your future jobs.

• Meet one-on-one with your supervisor during the first week.
You probably had reasons for seeking out this particular summer internship. Keeping those intentions in mind, schedule a meeting with your supervisor during the first week of your internship. Discuss your job duties and your supervisor’s expectations for your work. While it’s helpful to know what your supervisor expects of you, it is also important to let your supervisor know what you expect of the internship. Discuss YOUR goals for the experience. You may wish to write up a learning contract that outlines all of these areas (work details, expectations, and goals). Many of the internships I’ve observed that develop problems are ones in which there was not open communication between intern and supervisor. Get on the same page as your supervisor and hopefully ensure a positive experience.

• Practice work-life balance.
It’s summer. This is the season for spending time outside, hanging out with friends, and relaxing. However, you’re an intern now. Resist the temptation to relax too much in your internship. If you want to be a successful intern, it is important to put work first. You might have some pre-planned activities that you’ll need time off for, like a wedding or family vacation. This is alright as long as you inform your supervisor about it early on and keep time off requests to a minimum. Summer is short and it flies by quickly. You want to be able to spend as much time as you can at your internship in order to make the most of it.

By Joe Bucher, Career Consultant -Student Internship Specialist
San Jose State University Career Center
www.joebucher.wordpress.com

Informational interviews are something that I am a huge proponent of. I got started in career counseling by doing an informational interview with a family friend who was a career counselor. I gained useful insight from my informational interview and was able to use what I learned to get an internship.
Besides being relatively quick, informative and a great way to network - informational interviews are still underutilized by job seekers. I believe informational interviews are a great way to stand out from the pack and help students get started on their internship search.

What is an informational interview?

– An opportunity to meet with someone who works in a field that you have interest in.

– A chance to ask questions about corporate culture, challenges on the job, trends in the industry, how the professional got involved in the field, and more.
– A way to explore different industries and organizations in order to help you target your internship search and application materials.

An informational interview is not:

– A job interview - while you should be prepared to market yourself with a resume, knowledge of the organization/industry, and perhaps a portfolio - only offer if asked!!

– A free ride. Offer to buy the person a cup of coffee or lunch if the interview is done in person.

Questions to ask:

Think about the questions you genuinely have about the industry, organization, or position as this is your opportunity to ask someone who is currently working in your potential field of interest. However, remember that your interaction creates the first impression that this person will have of you. Therefore, do some research on the organization and possibly the person you will be speaking with. Check-in with your school’s career center or search online to review some potential questions. For instance, my school has a list of suggested informational interview questions.

Setting it up:

Step 1: Identify some possible organizations or jobs that you would like to learn more about.
Step 2: Do some homework. Research online to get the basics of the job/organization then figure out what sort of questions you would like to ask of an interviewee.
Step 3: Find possible interviewees by:

– Asking friends, family, co-workers, and professors if they know anyone in your desired field that might do an informational interview with you.
– Visiting your career center for resources or asking if they have an alumni group that would be willing to do informational interviews.

– Contacting the HR department of an organization that you would like to learn more about and ask “If it would be possible to conduct a 20 minute informational interview with one of your
employees?”

– Using your social media outlets to contact prospective interviewees.

Step 4: Be flexible. You may find that some professionals simply do not have the time to conduct an informational interview while others may be willing to do a phone or email version rather than in person. The main point when dealing with a potential interviewee is to be clear about the reasons why you are contacting them and be prepared.

After the Informational Interview:

– Follow up with a thank you email or letter.

– Ask the interviewee if they know of any other people who they would suggest that you could do an informational interview with.

– Utilize the information that was gained to incorporate into your internship search.

The informational interview is not only a tool to learn more about a specific career path or industry but also a chance to meet people in your potential field. You may get helpful information on what to include on a resume, an idea for a class project, or insight into how a particular organization works. Still not convinced? Check out Owlnotes.com for some great examples of informational interviews.

By Eugene J. Alpert, Ph.D.
Senior Vice President
The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars

Thinking of an internship in Washington, D.C.? There was a time when you really had to know someone to get a good internship in Washington. Before the Metrorail system was built, the only way to get around Washington was by bus (not always air conditioned), and housing options for interns were very limited. Washington was a sleepy town with “Southern efficiency and Northern charm,” as they used to say.

Today, Washington is a vibrant, bustling city where there are office buildings, apartments, restaurants at almost every Metrorail Station in the downtown area, making it very easy to get around to work and live in far-flung parts of the city. Every summer, Washington is “Intern City,” where perhaps as many as 40,000 or more interns descend upon the nation’s capital at some point to intern with government agencies, nonprofit organizations, and corporations seeking (mostly) free summer help. Washington has grown dependent upon interns, not only as a source of well-educated talent, but also as a future source of loyal, talented, future employees.

The ease of finding an internship on the internet or though the services of a nonprofit, educational organization, such as The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars (www.twc.edu), has resulted in much greater competition for the best placements. The task is to find the best and most worthwhile placements, especially ones that are worthy of academic credit. This helps mollify parents at least a little when you can tell your parents you are going to Washington for the summer to work for free, but, of course, gain valuable experience to land that first job.

So how can you prepare yourself and be more competitive for the best positions? Here are some bullet points:

1. Demonstrate that you have a good sense of purpose. Know what kind of internship you would like to have and why you would choose one placement over another. You often can do this by sending in a writing sample on a topic of interest to the agency or organization you are applying to.

2. Do your homework. Research not only your favored internship placements, but also those that involve work at different ends of the ideological or political spectrum. You might be surprised to find that your opinions on an issue may be a better match elsewhere.

3. Be prepared to ask good questions about the internship. Especially if you are arranging your placement long-distance and your only contact with the potential placement is by phone or e-mail, have a list of questions handy to ask when you make contact. Be wary of placements that are vague about your responsibilities.

4. Seek a placement where you can be mentored. The “best internships have the best supervisors.” If you know you will be reporting to someone who will be willing to take the time to mentor you and make sure you have some excellent learning opportunities, then you will likely have a very worthwhile experience.

5. Make sure you have realistic expectations. The worst thing you can do to the internship site and to yourself is to expect to walk into, say, a congressional office and ask where your own office is. Expect a tray table and maybe you’ll be lucky to get something that looks like a desktop. Expect to start at the bottom and figure out how to make yourself valuable to the office by being humble, showing initiative and figuring out how to make your boss look good!

6. Never expect to use the “B” word. Never be “bored.” Each experience has sometime to teach you, whether it is the most exciting thing you have ever done or the slowest paced experience you have ever had. Figure out how to make the most of the experience by developing some good academic and professional learning goals in advance. Then ask lots of questions and do what you have to do to achieve your goals, even if it is on your own with little supervision. Maybe your supervisor will be so tired of your questions you will probably get some good work to do to stop all those irritating questions!

Have a great internship in Washington, D.C. It is one of the best things you can do for yourself and your career.
Eugene J. Alpert is senior vice president at The Washington Center for Internships and Academic Seminars. He has served as past president of the National Society for Experiential Education and has been involved with experiential education programs for college students for over 30 years.