A job/internship search is an individual and strategic process
Internships offer the opportunity to apply academic learning with experience. Positions may be completed during the Fall, Spring or Summer. Some internships are paid, some offer academic credit, and others offer a stipend upon completion. Please note that some employers view the internship as an opportunity to observe a student’s performance when considering them for full-time roles.
Assessing your particular strengths, motivations and interests and conducting research on various industries will provide you with information to develop a job/internship job search strategy. Being able to communicate what you are seeking along with your specific areas of interest will allow you to benefit from the many technologies available for your job/internship search.
Application Directions & Closing Dates
Most job/internship openings are online and have closing dates. Follow the application directions exactly as provided in the job/internship description and allow enough time for creating a profile, answering questions and any document uploading that may be required. Apply using the requested materials and aim to complete your application before the closing date. Once a position opening is closed it cannot be opened by Kogod Career Development.
Tip: Name resume and cover letters based on the application (e.g. Mary Eagle Sony Intern Summer 2020). Always create a PDF of the job/internship description so you always have a record since you cannot access the site once it closes.
Following Up
After meeting an employer at a career fair, having an interview and phone call, following up by sending an email within 24-hours thanking the employer for their time. Thank-you emails also provide an opportunity to provide additional information you may have forgotten during your interview that may be relevant to your qualifications. Written notes are heartfelt, however there is no guarantee that it will reach your contact in a timely manner, so sending an email is generally more efficient.
Tracking
Tracking your job/internship search efforts allows you to follow your progress. Your tracking document should include calls you’ve made, applications you’ve submitted including job/position numbers, contacts at the company, names of individuals who interviewed you and the dates of each activity. The LAMP list created by Steve Dalton, author of The Two-Hour Job Search, is a great way to focus your job search, networking and motivation. The acronym, LAMP is defined as: L – List of your targeted firms; A – Alumni/AU alumni connected to the organization; M – your level of Motivation for the position (ranked 1-3) and P – position (are there currently open roles?)
International Search
For any student, and sometimes for international students looking beyond what the US can offer the LAMP list takes on a slight change – LAMPING List. In this instance include organizations that have “I” (international office locations), “N” (country specific national presence only) and “G” (global reach). Sometimes the hiring need for a multinational company is greater outside of the US if there is rapid expansion. In this case, fluency in languages and prior international experience can help a student stand above the competition.
