Summer Internships for Graduate Students
Opportunities Abound
When you integrate experience and skill development, with knowledge, you are well on your way to becoming a competitive job applicant. Beth Settje, Associate Director, Center for Career Development states, “To acquire the right amount of expertise needed for this job market, graduate students are served well by participating in internships; they are not just for undergraduates!”
In a recent Google search I uncovered hundreds of internship postings that seek graduate student applicants. Some internships, like those posted at the The Arctic Studies Center (National Museum of Natural History), seek applicants with content knowledge in specific academic disciplines, while postings at NPR (National Public Radio) emphasize that applicants need to have skills relevant to the area within the organization in which the intern would be working.
Create Your Own Internship
Look for opportunities in your landscape, on campus and beyond, to cultivate skills and experiences that will contribute to your competitiveness as a job candidate.
Be proactive and identify companies or organizations, small to mid-range in size, in which you would like to gain experience. Especially with smaller companies, if they don’t post internships, you can often find contact information for individuals on the company’s or organization’s website with whom you might connect to inquire about developing an internship opportunity.
In my search I found that Company X does not specifically list summer internships, but the company states:
“…we are always looking for high achieving, self-motivated individuals. We are constantly evaluating expansion opportunities and would welcome your résumé for future consideration.”Company X also stated, “Email your inquiry.” When I clicked on the link it took me to the email of the co-owner of the company! What a great opportunity to then send an email, featuring one’s interest in the company and one’s skills, inquiring about the possibility of crafting an internship. Showing a sense of initiative speaks volumes to a potential employer.
For more information about the Center for Career Development’s internship resources please visit: Internships.
