Purposes, Structure, Benefits and Outcomes of Internships for BS and MS Students

1. Careers 301: Internships
Clark R. Bonilla, Director
Alumni and Career Services
School of Public Policy
SPP Careers 301 1

2. Table of Contents
 What is an Internship?
 Values of an Internship
 The Internship Search
 Securing an Internship
 Documenting an Internship
 Other Occupational Experiences
 Suggested Reading
SPP Careers 301 2

3. What is an Internship?
“any official or formal program to provide
practical experience for beginners in an
occupation or profession: an internship for
management trainees.”
 http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/internship
SPP Careers 301 3

4. Educational Definition
An Internship is “a supervised discipline-related
work experience [involving] an intentional
experiential learning strategy, an emphasis on
professional development, performance
assessments, and reflection and acknowledgment.”
(O’Neill, 2010)
SPP Careers 301 4

5. Emphasis: Supervision
An Internship “integrates career related
experience into an undergraduate education
through participation in planned, supervised
work.” (O’Neill, 2010)
SPP Careers 301 5

6. What is “Practical Experience”?
 Apply theory to real-world problems.
 Gain “tacit” knowledge through contextualized learning.
 Utilize multiple skills simultaneously within an
interdisciplinary team environment.
 Identify, reduce and manage risks of uncertainty in
workplace.
 Learn relationship-building in professional context.
SPP Careers 301 6

7. Experiential Learning Objectives
 Adapt to various work environments,
 Adopt professional etiquette and ethics,
 Perform professional work assignments,
 Function within teams,
 Adhere to hierarchies of authority,
 Adhere to all policies and procedures,
 Clarify career goals and career pathways,
 Apply PP knowledge, tools, and techniques.
SPP Careers 301 7

8. Structure of Internships
 Full- or Part-time (20 hr/wkly minimum),
 Summer time for SPP MS students,
 Fall/Spring time (with SPP approval),
 Preferably paid (volunteer with SPP approval),
 Regular work hours,
 Work on-site (not remotely, not on-campus),
 Relevant to career goals,
 Managerial supervision,
 Perform work necessary to employer,
SPP Careers 301 8

9. Optional Elements
 Earn academic credit for work experience
 Produce thesis or professional paper related to work
experience
 On-campus internship requires SPP pre-approval (GTRI,
EII, CETL or CIESMC)
 Management trainee program (longer than 1 semester)
 Use of prior work to fulfill SPP MS internship requirement
(requires SPP pre-approval)
SPP Careers 301 9

10. Internships Should …
 Promote student’s professional development
 Be completed before or after graduation,
 Be SPP pre-approved to fulfill internship requirements,
 Include professional mentoring and educational
assignments,
 Involve career related experiences to reinforce prior
learning.
SPP Careers 301 10

11. Find a Mentor, …
 Find an adviser,
 Expand exponentially your professional network,
 Find a permanent job,
 Excel in your internship or permanent job,
 Find a satisfying career,
 Advance in your career,
 Find a friend … perhaps.
SPP Careers 301 11

12. Desired Outcomes
 Clarified career goals,
 Employer evaluated your knowledge and skills,
 Improved skills and managerial potential,
 Maintained positive SPP/GT-employer relationship,
 Permanent employment or positive employer
recommendation,
 Expanded professional network,
 Better employee-job matching (satisfaction, excellence,
productivity, advancement, pay).
SPP Careers 301 12

13. Internship Search, Step 1
 GT Recruitment Fairs (
http://gtalumni.org/pages/careerfair)
 Targeted Mailing (very limited)
 Networking (colleagues, SPP alumni, new contacts,
social media, professors, prior employers, etc.)
 Online Searches (See: Link to “Job Search Engines” on
http://spp.gatech.edu/careerblog/)
SPP Careers 301 13

14. Internship Search, Step 2
 Attend Career 201 Workshop on Social Media.
 Identify and Map Your Knowledge & Skill Sets.
 Define Career Goals.
 Draft Professional Resume (not CV).
 Create Profile on Social Media (LinkedIn.com).
 Conduct Mock Interviews.
 Join Relevant Professional Associations.
 Update Your Professional References.
SPP Careers 301 14

15. Securing an Internship, Part 1
 Study the organization (mission, strategic priorities,
budget, recent achievements, organizational design).
 Learn backgrounds of interviewers (see:
www.LinkedIn.com profiles).
 Know your strengths and weaknesses for the position
(Analytical, Social, Knowledge).
 Have Professional Development Plan.
 Believe in the organization (employer).
 Keep a positive tone always.
SPP Careers 301 15

16. Securing an Internship, Part 2
 Praise Georgia Tech and prior employers (not yourself).
 Never underestimate the value of reputation.
 Be happy to “prove” yourself to employer.
 No task is too small to give it your best.
 Refer to your LinkedIn.com profile.
 Relate your knowledge and skills to the position.
 Be self-confident and sociable (not arrogant or talkative).
SPP Careers 301 16

17. Securing an Internship, Part 3
 Consider your long-term potential to employer.
 Identify how you provide value-added service.
 Say how you’ll grow professionally via internship.
 Be a keen observer and listener.
 Don’t volunteer confidential information.
 You just might get a job offer without internship.
 Consider broadly your relevant experience (research,
volunteer, service learning).
SPP Careers 301 17

18. Documenting an Internship
 Supervisor’s contact information
 Colleagues’ contact information (your network)
 Log of daily activities
 Reports of tasks and outcomes
 Copies of reports, studies, policy statements, memos,
etc. (with permission)
 Exit interview documents
 Recommendation letter before exit
SPP Careers 301 18

19. Other Occupational Experiences
 Externship
 Practicum
 Cooperative Education
 Contract Work
 Temporary Work
 Volunteer Activities
 Consulting
 Mentoring
SPP Careers 301 19

20. Key Web Sites
 GT Career Services, Internship Programs:
http://www.career.gatech.edu/plugins/content/index.php?id=2
 GT, DPP, Cooperative Education:
http://www.gradcoop.gatech.edu/
 Federal Internships: www.USAJOBS.gov
 PPGSA T-Square: Internships/Search Engines
SPP Careers 301 20

21. Annual Internship Opportunities
 Intern, GA Governor’s Office of Planning and Budget
 Research Intern, Progress Partners of North Fulton,
Atlanta, GA
 Intern, White House Office of Science and
Technology Policy, Washington, DC
 Performance Management Analyst Intern, Office of
the Mayor, Atlanta, GA
 Legislative Intern, DC Summer Internship Program,
Georgia Tech, Office of Provost
SPP Careers 301 21

22. Next Steps
 Define Your Career Goals.
 Explore Alternative Career Pathways.
 Be Strategic.
 Have a Career Management Plan.
 Be Persistent.
 Be Positive.
 Show What You Can Contribute to Employers.
 Network, Network, Network.
SPP Careers 301 22

23. Suggested Reading 1
 Feldman, Daniel C.; Folks, William R. and Turnley,
William H. “Mentor-protégé diversity and its impact on
international internship experiences.” Journal of
Organizational Behavior, Sept. 1999, 20, 5, p597-611.
 Gavigan, Lisa. “Connecting the classroom with real-
world experiences through summer internships.” Peer
Review, Fall 2010, 12,4, p15-19.
 Hindmoor, Andrew. “Internships within Political
Science,” Australian Journal of Political Science,
September 2010, 45, 3, p483–490.
 O’Neill, Nancy. “Internships as a high-impact practice:
some reflections on quality.” Peer Review, Fall 2010,
12, 4, p4-8.
SPP Careers 301 23

24. Suggested Reading, 2
 Fifolt, Matt and Searby, Linda. “Mentoring in
cooperative education and internships: preparing
protégés for STEM professions.” Journal of STEM
Education: Innovations & Research; Jan-Jun 2010,
11,1, p17-26.
 Wasonga, Teresa A. and Murphy, John F. “Learning
from tacit knowledge: the impact of the internship.” The
International Journal of Educational Management,
2006, 20,2, p153-63.
 Weible, Rick. “Are universities reaping the available
benefits internship programs offer?” Journal of
Education for Business, 2010, 85: 59–63.
SPP Careers 301 24

25. For More Information:
Clark Bonilla, Director
Office: 404-385-7220
clark.bonilla@pubpolicy.gatech.edu
SPP Careers 301 25