Internships give you the opportunity to:
- Try out an industry, role, or location (keep in mind that in some specialized professions that require advanced degrees, like medicine, intern positions may be limited in their responsibilities)
- Build your resume
- Add to your skill set
- Provide assistance to a group or a cause
- Experience office culture as a part of a team
It’s important to remember that every professional area has a different timeline for hiring and internships. So, too, each person’s professional path will travel its own course. Try not to compare where you are in your search or your summer planning with your friends. Instead, think about your goals for the summer. What are you hoping to achieve? What’s right for your next step?
Do you know what an internship isn’t?
An internship is NOT:
- A guaranteed job offer
- Always glamourous—expect a blend of a few professional responsibilities mixed with office support-type tasks and job shadowing
- Easy! Interns often report working hard for expectant bosses
- Right for everyone. Your summer might be better spent volunteering, working, and spending time with your family. Choose your summer adventures with what you need in mind!
If an internship is right for you, what’s next?
- Review internship posts on Handshake
- Explore the CLS Internship pages
- Read about CLS summer funding for internships. Please note this funding is competitive and meeting all deadlines is crucial.
- Make an appointment to talk with your CLS adviser about academic credit requirements (where they pertain).
- Network with family friends, former bosses, volunteer coordinators, and GC alumni.
- Take a short course online: If the profession you’re interested in requires specific skills, use the next two weeks to brush up your knowledge. A LinkedIn Learning or other short-form online course could give your résumé extra sparkle.
- Build a professional website that showcases your experience, portfolio, and writing samples
