Summer Internships

[dieselboy]

Anyone had any success finding one? Either for this summer or in the past?

I am trying to find one this summer and I am not having much luck. I have made an account on Monstertrak, but I'm not finding much. I have also tried Craigslist...

Any help would be great.

[Shaver]

Re: Summer Internships

What area of business?

[bkfount]

Re: Summer Internships

I fully believe in working your contacts and connections. Careerbuilder and stuff like that where you submit resumes are trash really. They're tailored towards a certain type of job, which is great if you're in that business though.

You can have more success finding things if you call around and mention it to people who know people.

[GBrushTWood]

Re: Summer Internships

Companies love summer interns/co-ops from college programs because it allows them to push the diarrhea work on somebody who isn't a full time worker and isn't getting paid a lot. If you don't want to be working in spreadsheets or getting some persons coffee, you need to do your research and find something that is known to be a good learning experience (i.e. - letting you actually do work that visibly contributes).

Of course, the competition for these summer intern/co-op positions are absolutely incredible and unless you know how to play the game (read: kiss *** and bullpoopie during interviews) you might get stucking pushing papers (if lucky).

To answer your question, I have completed 3 separate six month co-ops which were paid, all at separate companies. It is a built-in part of my program in my major, and the school facilitates the process between you choosing where to send your resumes, and the companies choosing the best candidate.

My personal experience indicates that work at smaller companies allows you to do more meaningful work which actually impacts the company. I have only worked at one larger company (Staples), and its IT department blew goats for co-ops. That's just my own personal experience and I bet you could find piss poor internships at smaller companies, and great internships at bigger companies..

[MassNole]

Re: Summer Internships

I'll likely be interning this summer as a Clerk in the Hamden County Juvenile Court. I found the internship through my school.

[WazzuRC]

Re: Summer Internships

Anyone had any success finding one? Either for this summer or in the past?

I am trying to find one this summer and I am not having much luck. I have made an account on Monstertrak, but I'm not finding much. I have also tried Craigslist...

Any help would be great.

I'm in the same boat as you Diesel. I'm a marketing/sports management major and those internships are hard to come by.

Are you going to "connect" on Monday night and the career fair Tuesday?

[dieselboy]

Re: Summer Internships

I'm in the same boat as you Diesel. I'm a marketing/sports management major and those internships are hard to come by.

Are you going to "connect" on Monday night and the career fair Tuesday?

Yes, both. Have you gone to them before?

What area of business?

Public Relations.

[bkfount]

Re: Summer Internships

I'm in the same boat as you Diesel. I'm a marketing/sports management major and those internships are hard to come by.

Are you going to "connect" on Monday night and the career fair Tuesday?

I'm doing one right now with Davidson College Athletics. I called around to like 35 places though, including all the big colleges and arenas in NC.

[dieselboy]

Re: Summer Internships

Craigslist has actually had quite a bit.

[JohnnytheSkin]

Re: Summer Internships

Good luck in your hunt. My wife and I had absolutely no luck finding engineering internships the two summers we were eligible (after sophomore and junior years) despite our well above average grades amongst our peers. Turns out the majority of internships went to the "who you know and who you blow crowd", meaning kids who's parents worked in the field or had family in the field (or were lucky enough to be bedding someone who's family was in the field).

Even with the interviews we both had, the fall semester always revealed the connections. Needless to say upon graduation, when they ask why you DIDN'T have any internships one was tempted to rip the throat out of the HR clerk. Seriously, our country is pretty f-ed up in that regard, since everyone in power seems to have a daddy that sprung them. Sure there are self made folks, but how many took the seat on the board/governership/congressional seat what have you after their parent vacated it...

[dieselboy]

Re: Summer Internships

I know exactly what you mean Johnny.

It really comes down to who you know, and not what you know.

[WazzuRC]

Re: Summer Internships

I know exactly what you mean Johnny.

It really comes down to who you know, and not what you know.

Yeah thats exactly whats going on with me too. My roommate is the one in charge of this whole "connect" thing on Monday. I'm definately going and hopefully can get an early interview before the thousands of people show up at the Career Fair on Tuesday.

Tuesday is going to be a nuthouse. I went last year just to see how everything was and it was packed. I'd go Monday and try and do as much as you can in regards to talking with them and such because Tuesday its mostly walking up to them, them giving you a packet of stuff, and then sending you on your way. Monday is a lot more personable.

[TarHeelBorn]

Re: Summer Internships

I did one about last year for my Senator in DC (yes I've heard all of the intern jokes) and I really enjoyed it, I will probably do another one this summer with a lobbying firm. I think they are good for building contacts becasue no matter if the people you meet have changed jobs since then, if you do well than they are still likely to give you a shot.

[Stu]

Re: Summer Internships

It really comes down to who you know, and not what you know.

As it should be. I hire co-ops for my department every 6 months. The last co-op period my choice came down to two students with very similar qualifications. They both interviewed very well and I probably would've been fine with either one. However, I knew 3 out of the 4 references one of them provided (having worked with them in previous jobs) and they gave him glowing reviews so he ended up being the one I hired. All else being equal I take the one who comes with recommendations from people I know, every time.

[Rainey]

Re: Summer Internships

As it should be. I hire co-ops for my department every 6 months. The last co-op period my choice came down to two students with very similar qualifications. They both interviewed very well and I probably would've been fine with either one. However, I knew 3 out of the 4 references one of them provided (having worked with them in previous jobs) and they gave him glowing reviews so he ended up being the one I hired. All else being equal I take the one who comes with recommendations from people I know, every time.

He is referring when you are far and superior better than the other, and still get overlooked because of connections.