This document provides information about an internship meet-up being held by a university career center. It discusses the learning outcomes of understanding what internships are and their importance. It also reviews resources for preparing for, searching for, and completing internships. The document then provides an overview of internships, defining them and explaining their benefits. It discusses aspects like receiving academic credit, legal guidelines for unpaid internships, and tips for planning and finding an internship.

1. Internship Meet-up!
University Career Center | GeorgiaCollege

2. Learning Outcomes
 Understand what an internship is and how it applies to your
academic journey at GC
 Become familiar with national trends and the importance of
completing an internship
 Be informed of resources available to help you prepare, search and
complete an internship(s)
 Obtain answers to general questions you have with the internship
process

3. The Chronicle of Higher Education and American Public Media’s Marketplace Survey (2012)

4. Internship Overview
Understanding what an internship entails

5. What is an internship?
- An opportunity to integrate career-related experience into an undergraduate
education by receiving credit for participating in planned, supervised work with an
employer.
- A form of experiential learning that integrates knowledge and theory learned in the
classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting
(National Association of Colleges and Employers)
Traditional Academic Coursework On-site Internship Full-time Job
Goal: Link critical/ analytical skills gained from a liberal arts holistic worldview to desired
skills needed for practical professional workplace experience
Internships provide: an understanding of a particular career field, exposure to a work
environment, skill growth and personal career goal projections

6. What is an internship - continued
 Generally, most internships are temporary and have a defined time frame (one
semester, one year)
 Includes a position description with relevant and clearly defined learning
objectives
 Designated on-site working hours
 Supervised experience, providing regular feedback and evaluation of the student
 Assigned academic work, major project and reflection assignments
 Internships compensation varies upon employers offerings (unpaid, hourly,
stipend, room & board, travel reimbursement, etc.)

7. Academic credit
 Receiving academic credit for an internship requires you to pay tuition.
 Academic credit 1-3 hours depending on department
 Number of credit hours available varies per major, which will vary the cost of tuition.
 The Career Center recommends getting academic credit for unpaid internships.
 Academic credit may not be necessary for paid internships.
 Certain academic departments on campus require an internship prior to graduation while others
may or may not offer optional opportunities for academic credit. Speak with your academic
advisor for more information.
 Based on your academic plan, some students complete part-time internships with their academic
courses while others may elect to engage in summer internships
 Remember to report your internship to both a faculty advisor and the career center

8. Academic Credit Qualifications
 Some programs require:
- A minimum GPA
- Class standing
- Prerequisites of course completion

9. Internships Paperwork
The following majors process paperwork in Career Center AFTER approved by faculty advisor.
 • Biology • Chemistry • Community Health • Criminal Justice • Environmental Science
 • History • Mass Communication • Math • Liberal Studies • Physics
 • Political Science • Public Administration • Sociology
 Business, psychology, music therapy, education, nursing, exercise science and athletic training have
academic internship programs or field placement experiences and use their own paperwork process.

10. Legalities to Know About Unpaid Internships
 The following six criteria must be applied when making this determination:
 The internship, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is
similar to training which would be given in an educational environment;
 The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern;
 The intern does not displace regular employees, but works under close supervision of
existing staff;
 The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the
activities of the intern; and on occasion its operations may actually be impeded;
 The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the internship; and
 The employer and the intern understand that the intern is not entitled to wages for the
time spent in the internship.
Fact Sheet #71 –The Fair Labor Standards Act

11. How does an internship benefit me?
 Elevates the development of “soft skills”
 Helps provide long-term application of core academic material and a deeper understanding of major-specific
courses
 Reinforces conceptual learning
 Allows you to master skills more specific to your industry
 Opportunity to gain responsibility and play an active role within the organization
 Introduced to multiple industry contacts and a chance to enhance your professional network
 Provides safe space to make mistakes and learn from them
 Increases probability of obtaining a job and finding a mentor
 Creates a sense of identity as a professional, builds a sense of accomplishment, and confidence
 Provides you unique access to high-profile projects, department meetings, and company partners
 Some companies support and provide additional professional development opportunities

12. Planning Phase

14. Exercise – Make your time chart
Class/ Study Intramurals USG Greek Org Job Give Center
How you spend your time defines what you think is
important.
Am I investing my energy into the right things?
How can this help me gather skills for an internship?
Am I well-balanced, under or over working myself?
Am I setting aside time for rest, professional
development or time to do an internship search?

15. Wandering Map – ConnectYour Interest IntoYour Passion
Running
Traveling
Working
with people
Golf
Mountains
Urban City
Mizuno Shoe Territory Sales Manager (Atlanta)
Structured work
Helping
others
State Farm Insurance Rep (Chicago)
Scrap
booking
Wedding Planner
Movies

16. Activity - SWOT Analysis -Write DownYourTop 3
Fashion Design and Merchandising
 Strengths (what are you good at?What are your values?)
Ex: likes fashion, knows latest trends, reads fashion magazines
 Weaknesses (what do you need to improve in?)
Ex: No experience in retail, doesn’t have a car, no resume
 Opportunities (what am I best suited for?)
Ex: local department stores, boutique shops, competitions
 Threats (what stands in my way of success?)
Ex: Funds, geographic location, lack of experience

17. Checklist – Where to Start
 Review your Academic Report (with an academic advisor), see where
your internship could fit into your class schedule
 Meet with your faculty internship coordinator if you are trying to obtain
academic credit to express interest (at least 3 months before)
 Schedule an appointment with the Career Center to brainstorm where to
look for internships (or faculty members)
 Reach out to potential references about your interest in an internship
 Follow up with site supervisor on start date, additional items, goal
forecasting
 Once you have confirmed your internship, file paperwork with CC or FIC

18. What can I do now?
 Develop a well crafted resume and cover letter
 Identify and seek out your potential references before
you apply
 Conduct a mock interview
 Utilize personal network: National student organizations,
faculty, past employers, Greek chapter alumni groups,
family/friends, UniversityAlumni Groups
 Familiarize yourself with internship app deadlines!

19. ThingsTo Consider
 Consider your timeline (Fall, Spring, Summer)
 Determine what industry you are interested in (narrow in on a few niche areas
to explore) *Occupational Outlook, O-Net
 Define specific and well-thought out career objectives
 Familiarize yourself with potential internship sites - location (region, cost of
living, resources)
 Study similar internship job descriptions - Can you do what they are asking of
you?

20. Get Involved/Diversify Your Experiences
 Join local student groups
 Be active in professional organizations (national)
 Subscribe to industry journals or research items of importance in your potential future field
 Build a digital brand:
Network on the Linkedin Alumni Group
Create a professional facebook page apart from your social page
Develop a portfolio (academic projects and work-related assignments)
 Volunteer or give time to complete community service
 Consider your options of studying abroad (gaining a global understanding)
 Seek out free professional development opportunities on campus (seminars, guest speakers, etc.).

21. Be Proactive
 Ask to job shadow/visit a business for the day
 Conduct informational interviews with dream employers
 Do not just skim over company profiles, conduct thorough research and keep notes
 Schedule a meeting with a Career Center staff member
 Speak to faculty in your academic department
 Keep an organized binder through your search
 DIDYOU KNOW? … From the mid-1980s to the mid-2000s, the share of college graduates participating in at least one internship
rose from less than 10% to over 80%
*Wallstreet Journal

22. Where can I find an internship? - Recruitment
 Career fairs and on-campus recruiting comprise more than half of employers’ recruiting budgets for both
interns and co-op students (NACE National Internship Survey)
 Job listings on career services’ websites place third in effectiveness for recruiting both interns and co-op
students. Referrals from current or former interns was deemed fourth most effective for recruiting interns
(NACE National Internship Survey)
Career Connection
Job search engines (Internships.com, Idealist.org, experience.com, mediabistro.com)
National Organizations
LinkedIn
Personally reaching out to the individual employer if you have identified a specific company
DIDYOU KNOW? … 68.6% of participants used social media to find or research an internship.
*LookSharp’s 2015 State of College Hiring data publication (sample of 5,000 students).

23. CHALLENGE:
Sign up for
Career Connection
TODAY!
How to get to Career Connection:
Visit the Career Center homepage
(http://www.gcsu.edu/career)
Students tab (left side of page)
Click “Career Connection”
Register!

24. Increase your internship success
Have a positive attitude
Find a mentor
Communicate your challenges and successes
Go “above and beyond the call of duty”
Talk to current and previous interns
Step out of your comfort zone
Ask questions

25. Where GC students have interned

26. Brainstorm Activity – Write down …
 What field you are interested in?
 Specific companies which interest you
 When you plan to do your internship (Summer 3rd year, Fall 4th
year)
 Three goals you want to achieve in your internship

27. Questions?