Learn About Your Options, Find an Internship
I have three children; one graduated from FSU, one is a junior at FSU and one is a freshman at UNF. Each one has had and will have, a different experience finding an internship. My oldest son called a family friend and was hired almost immediately for the summer vacation of his sophomore and junior year. Easy as pie for him – not the norm for most. In the case of my younger son, a junior and a Finance Major at FSU, the search was pretty typical, resumes emailed, phone calls, and follow up. For my daughter, a freshman at UNF, her major is Early Education so her search will be different as well.
HaveUHeard which companies were selected as the 100 best internship programs in the U.S.? WayUp presents their Top 100. Vault also has their list of the Top 20 Most Prestigious Internship Programs for 2020.
There are quite a few avenues to take when looking for an internship. My first recommendation would be to check with the college. Many times professors and other professionals within the college will hear firsthand from prospective employers about new internships available. Also, contact UNF’s Career Center. There will be career fairs typically once a semester when different companies will come to UNF looking for students.
Many of UNF’s majors offer individual internship fairs, typically in the spring.
Department of Criminology & Criminal Justice
Political Science and Public Administration
Different websites can be a great source of value when looking for internships. Linkedin, Indeed, Glassdoor, Internmatch.com are just a few of the excellent resources available. Some students are creating their own videos or websites to show off all they have done. It can be better than a long portfolio that may exceed the amount of space for uploaded information. These are generally used for more majors like graphic design or advertising, and not finance.
A LinkedIn Jobseeker account allows you to view profiles and send InMail messages starting from $29.95 per month. HaveUHeard that LinkedIn has a version specifically designed for students looking for their first jobs? The LinkedIn Students app is free, and lets you research jobs, view companies where alumni from your school work, and connect with more people. You can create an account and get started right away without spending a dime.
Another great way to find out about internships is through networking. My son has gone to many social and professional events that housed members from different companies that he was interested in interning with. He was able to make connections, gather business cards, and follow up throughout the year. Starting the process of finding an internship typically begins the summer before students Junior year so making these connections should take place during their sophomore year.
If your student is interested in a particular company, they should be checking their employment page and trying to make connections either via Linkedin or truly any way that they can. My younger son just got hired for an internship that he heard about through a sorority sister of mine who had posted the job on Facebook, so you never know how and when a mutual connection can come in handy. Searching for an internship, like trying to find a job is not easy and takes time, patience, and a positive attitude; however, receiving an offer letter from your dream job is the best payoff! Should your internship take you out of state, learn about housing options.
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