The document provides tips and information for finding internships and co-ops, including researching employers, starting your search early, utilizing campus resources like career fairs, and networking. It also includes statistics from surveys of employers about how they recruit and hire interns, such as preferring career fairs and referrals, extending offers 3 weeks after interviews, and using internship programs to recruit full-time employees. The Career and Testing Center at Lamar University is available to help students with their internship and job searches.

1. How to find Internships and Co-Ops Lamar University Career and Testing Center

2. Table of Contents Is this the right program for me? Internship/Co-op checklist? Keys to Networking Identify Your Career Interest Start Early Statistics Researching Employers Find your Passion Questions

3. Is this the right program for me? To get the best internship, narrow your focus as early as possible, deciding which industry and even which company you want to intern for. Do your homework, and learn as much as possible about your industry of choice. Then, target companies you may want to work for. Your Lamar University Career Center is a great place to start. Tap into your own network, including alumni groups, college organizations, professors or other students who have already had internships. Utilize the Internet and the lists that the CTC has provided for you; all listings are by major. You also have to research the answers to questions arising from your personal circumstances: Does the internship pay? Does it offer academic credit? , etc. Begin your campaign by sending query letters to their human resource departments accompanied with a good résumé and a list of references

5. Conduct research on your potential employer; for a comprehensive list refer to the Job and Internship Guide

6. Tip: Check online resources, such as Hoover’s Company Records

7. Begin your internship search as early as possible

8. Find out when the recruitment season for your field is

9. For example finance majors may want to start applying for more competitive internships at the end of the Fall semester

10. Shadow a professional from the company you aspire to intern for or someone who has your future career

11. If this is not possible, once you land an interview see if you are a “good fit” with the company’s culture

12. Attend Career Fairs

13. The CTC sponsors a number of career fairs and invitational's for students each semester (Fall and Spring)

14. Network, Network, Network

17. Do you like to work outdoors, with children or with money?

18. Are you interested in making a difference in the world for a non-profit organization?

20. Give yourself a couple month at least to identify potential internships and apply for them

21. Visit Cardinal Connect

23. Researching Employers Online Resources Cardinal Connect Internship link

24. Statistics Overall employers ranked career fairs as most effective, on-campus recruiting as second most effective, and referrals from prior or current interns as the third most effective means of hiring interns. On average, employers said they begin recruiting for open intern/co-op positions six and one-half months prior to needing the positions filled. According to employers, the best way to recruit co-ops is to attend a career fair ,recruit on campus, or get referrals from current or former co-ops. Once the interview is complete, employers take an average of about three weeks (21.9 days) to extend an offer or inform the student that he/she is not being considered for the internship or co-op position. Students get an average of 14.5 days to accept or decline the offer. Last year, employers offered interns at the undergraduate level an average hourly wage of $16.33; this year, they hiked their hourly wage up 4.9 percent to $17.13. Interns at the master’s level, however, will see lower hourly wages. Last year, the average hourly wage to an intern at the master’s degree level was $24.95; the current hourly wage is $23.18, down 7.1 percent. The majority of respondents (77.3 percent) say they use their internship programs primarily as a tool for recruiting entry-level talent. Doing so appears to be a wise decision; employers reported that an average of 35.3 percent of their full-time entry level college hires from the class of 2007-08 were from their internship program. Source: National Association of Colleges and Employers 2009 Experiential Education Survey

25. QUESTIONS? Lamar University Career and Testing Center Galloway Building Suite 102 Phone: 409.880.8878 http://dept.lamar.edu/careerandtestingcenter/