CCA News
How to Find an Internship
Posted on Tuesday, December 13, 2011, by Amanda Simons
Searching and securing an internship can be a laborious and frustrating task, but if you follow these tips and suggestions you’re bound to find one much quicker.
Prepare Presentation
Before you start your search, you should have a few things in presentable order.
- A portfolio of completed pieces as well as works in progress (no more than five pieces total).
- Ensure your work can be clearly seen and is visually attractive. (Remember, a perfect portfolio is a tough stretch; a good one is often just as acceptable.)
- Include one-to-two page summaries for each piece.
- Make sure your résumé and cover letter are revised to best represent you.
- Send PDFs in your email submissions. (Save as “smallest size.”)
Search
Finding an internship is the most challenging part, but it can be relatively stress-free.
- Start your search a few months in advance. Last-minute internship searches are what cause unnecessary stress.
- Ask yourself what kind of career or job you’d like to have after graduation. Focus on companies that offer this career path or related job.
- Call on your network—friends, family, professors, CCA’s Career Services, and even Facebook may reveal a connection with a desired company.
- Scan the websites of appealing companies for possible internship programs and introduce yourself via email.
- Consult your academic program’s internship list for those businesses that have previously offered internships to CCA students.
- Search CCA’s job board or Craigslist regularly. For internships that offer college credit, make sure the company complies with your department’s internship guidelines.
Send Out Your Work
To catch their eye, you have to make them aware of who you are.
- Contact the company directly to identify to whom your materials are best addressed.
- Send physical samples of your work. Emailed submissions run the risk of being lost among countless other electronic submissions. Hard-copy format forces people to physically notice your work.
- Follow all submission guidelines. Optimize your chance to have your work acknowledged by respecting the established protocol for submitting work.
Arrange a Meeting
After you’ve sent out your work, getting a foot in the door is essential for decision-makers to connect a face with the work.
- Follow up with an email to request confirmation that your portfolio was received and to ask for a meeting to have your work professionally reviewed.
- Avoid inquiring about an internship. The goal at this point is just to be seen.
Before the Meeting
Be prepared the day before your meeting. This will give you peace of mind going in.
- Plan your transportation needs ahead of time. Visit the location, have on hand printed directions, procure sufficient cash for transit fare, tolls, etc.
- Research the company and prepare a list of questions to ask during your meeting.
- Practice your presentation several times to reduce nervousness during the meeting.
- Have your portfolio prepared, including an extra copy of your résumé and cover letter. You want to be proactive and prepared to make the best impression possible.
- Select clean, appropriate clothes the night before. It’s best to select clothes that are “business casual”—slacks, button-down shirts, nice sweaters, skirts, etc. You want to avoid being over or under dressed.
During the Meeting
Presentation is everything.
- Look presentable and be well groomed (shower, comb your hair, use deodorant—but avoid heavy colognes or perfumes—and brush your teeth. Never chew gum right before your meeting!). First impressions matter most.
- Arrive 15–20 minutes ahead of your scheduled meeting time. (At the very least arrive on time.)
- Be aware of your body language. Shake hands with a firm, but not-too-forceful grip. Make direct eye contact. Sit up straight in your chair.
- Speak clearly and articulately when discussing your work.
- Be pleasant. Accept criticism calmly. Take notes.
- If appropriate and time permits, request a tour of the company.
- Only if the meeting is going well should you inquire about an internship program. Give the interviewer plenty of opportunity to mention it first.
After the Meeting
Keep them thinking about you.
- Mail a thank you card to the person(s) with whom you met or, at a minimum, send an email, or both.
- Check back in a couple of weeks to suggest meeting to further discuss an internship.
- Maintain your efforts in researching and connecting with other companies. Internships are only guaranteed when the paperwork is completed. Put yourself in the position that if one company doesn’t work out, you’re already connected or about to connect with others.
Follow these steps to be as prepared as possible. Landing an internship is a numbers game; you often have to connect with a certain number of companies to make it happen. Stay enthusiastic and optimistic!
These suggestions are made possible with the contributions of the Architecture and Industrial Design departments. For more great career-related tips, see Career Services, or stop in at the 80 Carolina building on the San Francisco campus. To schedule an appointment with one of our Career Services counselors, please email us at: careerservices@cca.edu
This post was written by Career Fellow Autumn Darbow.
Autumn Darbrow is a graduate student in CCA's MFA Program in Writing, the managing editor of Eleven Eleven, and a writing coach for the college's Learning Resource Center. To suggest a future topic that pertains to careers or higher education, email Career Services.