Internships in Psychology And PSYC 489 Information Dr. Larissa Barber Internship Director Department of Psychology Northern Illinois University

Gaining Employment How can I get the job I want? ▫Wrong question, implies passivity How can I DEMONSTRATE that I am the type of employee that employers want to hire? ▫Employers will be closely examining your materials for EVIDENCE, not assertions  Show that you are ▫Rewarding to work with ▫Able to do the job well ▫Willing to work hard

Gaining Employment Increase your RAW potential ▫People make attributions of your “employability” based on your application materials

Gaining Employment Degrees are minimum job requirements  Extra experiences and skill demonstration get you the positions ▫In psychology, this is often conveyed through research experience and internships Your resume/CV needs to show activities beyond coursework that speak to your knowledge and skills  Anyone can say that “I have good interpersonal skills”  Show them that you actually have training/experience in it AND accomplishments  “I received positive client evaluations at my internship”  “I coordinated and advertised SPA social events, increasing attendance by 10% from the previous year”  “I received positive evaluations from my lab supervisor regarding my interactions with research participants”

Why Should I Do an Internship? Internships are the key to success in competitive market ▫Students who have had internships are more likely to receive job offers after graduation Internships have the potential to… ▫Clarify your interests and goals ▫Promote skill development ▫Expand your network ▫Enhance the quality of your graduate school candidacy (especially in applied fields) ▫Apply what you learned in classes ▫Enhance your awareness of your attributes (strengths and weaknesses) ▫Turn into job offers or more internship experiences (multiple internships encouraged)

The Internship Search The internship search is a job search ▫Requires preparation  Do you have a resume?  Has it been reviewed by multiple people for feedback?  Is it organized, short, relevant, and aesthetically pleasing?  Do you have a professional “contact script”  For contacting via and phone (follow proper etiquette)  Have you done your “homework” on the organization/position?  Review websites, recruitment materials, etc.  Do you have an organizational system?  Have a binder/excel sheet for tracking leads/contacts

The Internship Search Preparation resources ▫Career Services  Help with internship search materials, interviewing, etc.  Includes resume drop-in hours  Sets you up with job search tools (HuskiesGetHired!)  Also visit their link for social service agencies in the DeKalb/Sycamore area ▫ st/social_service_dek.shtmlhttp:// st/social_service_dek.shtml  Dr. Brian Pillsbury is the psychology major specialist

The Internship Search Requires patience and persistence ▫There may not be a lot of ads for internships  “Cold call” (or ) potential organizations ▫Some internships may not seem applicable to psychology, but they are  Read into the skill-set required, not just job title  Human resources, marketing research, statistician ▫You may get rejected…a lot  That’s ok! You have to keep trying  Start early (1-3 months ahead) and devote X amount of time to your search every day  Set a goal and track it!

Getting Credit for Your Internship PSYC 489 ▫Internship in Psychology Course  Student eligibility  Junior or senior psychology major  2.5 GPA or higher (overall and major)  Internship eligibility  Average of 10hrs per week (120hrs total) for semester  Fall, spring, & summer supervision ▫Some group sessions, professional development portfolio, internship presentation to peers  Credit limit  Must take three hour course  Only first three hours count toward major ▫Can be taken a 2 nd time for general elective credit

Getting Credit for Your Internship What if I am ineligible for PSYC 489? ▫Alternatives to PSYC 489  Note on transcript  Contact Kathie Coulter ( ) ▫Register internship through Career Services  ILAS 390 credit  Contact Cathy Doederlein  General elective credit

Getting Credit for Your Internship Handouts ▫PSYC 489 Flyer & Past Sites ▫PSYC 489 Frequently Asked Questions ▫PSYC 489 Procedures More questions? ▫ Dr. Barber  ▫ Dr. Pillsbury 

Final Message Everyone has a degree by graduation What sets you apart are the additional experiences (including internships) Start your internship search preparation and planning today! Develop your critical job search skills