Internships & Co-op Employment Arizona State University Career Services

Self- Assessment Research Reality Testing Implement Decision Career Development Process

71 percentage of employers who prefer to hire college grads with relevant work experience - NACE Job Outlook, 2012 The Internship Advantage:

In the words of an ASU intern… “ I view my education as an investment. Interning is one of the most surefire ways to protect and nurture my investment. I’ve gained experience, insight, and expanded my professional network. In this job market, it’s the closest thing you can get to a guarantee on your investment.” -Amanda, AZ DOA HR Intern

internship defined: a short-term, hands-on, supervised work experience with a professional organization related to your career interests OR major more than a part-time job or volunteer position, an internship includes intentional learning objectives either paid or unpaid; credit- or non- credit- bearing

top 10 reasons to do an internship 10.Develop a professional portfolio! 9.Improve starting salary! 8. Make valuable contacts and references!

top 10 reasons to do an internship 7. Generate employment opportunities! 6. Gain experience and professional skills! 5. Enhance personal development!

top 10 reasons to do an internship 4. Explore professional interests! 3. Develop transferable skills! 2. Develop employability skills!

..and the number one answer is… 1.Gain career-related experience!

what can a ___ major do? you can choose to work for 3 types of organizations: business, nonprofit, or government to obtain a meaningful internship, identify long-term career interests and find a related organization whose services or products are of interest to you

finding an internship requires defining careers & organizations of interest to an employer, “I’m willing to take any internship” means I have no idea what I really want to do, and, therefore, no commitment is competitive! most employers (76%) report having fewer than 10 interns/year (do not spend much time advertising/searching for interns)

finding an internship many intern employers report that interested students find them employers prefer high touch over high tech consider employer size…

what do employers seek in interns & college grads? If you are working on a project with a team, what skills/qualities do YOU want your teammates to have?

analytical friendly interpersonal communication initiative creative teamwork problem solving computer detail orientation adaptability skills employers want

preparation

prepare: elevator speech/ 30-second commercial “Hi, I’m Jane Doe. I am a biology major with experience working in research labs and using biotech equipment. My analytical skills and detail orientation are my greatest strengths. I am very interested in doing an internship in a research medical laboratory such as TGen.”

prepare: elevator speech/ 30-second commercial “Hi, I’m Jane Doe. I am a biology major with experience working in research labs and using biotech equipment. My analytical skills and detail orientation are my greatest strengths. I am very interested in doing an internship in a research medical laboratory such as TGen.”

career services resources ASU Career Services asu.edu/careerasu.edu/career Sun Devil CareerLink (SDCL) features 4,000+ internships/year career fairs and mixers on-campus recruiting/interviewing (through SDCL) ASU grad stats individual meetings with career advisors

ASU resources faculty & internship coordinators academic department web sites ASU Community Service Program (nonprofit internships) ASU Community Service Program international internships through ASU’s Center for Global Education Services and EUSA

other resources indeed.com LinkedIn/LinkedIn Groups internships.com internmatch.com …others?

other factors to consider how to overcome monetary issues paid vs unpaid internships applying for multiple opportunities volunteering AND interning

ASU Career Services locations…

The sooner you start, the further you’ll go! Career Services asu.edu/career