There are many effective ways to find internships. The most successful internship-seekers devote time and energy to search using a variety of strategies and refuse to give up if at first they don’t find what they’re looking for. Below are some tips and resources to help you find…or create…an internship that’s right for you.
Advice:
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Diversify your internship search:
- Contacts – get referrals from friends, family, professors, advisers, etc.
- Events – employer information sessions and departmental, university, and regional career fairs
- Online – Handshake, UW departmental websites, employer websites, national job and internship boards (like LinkedIn or Idealist), internet keyword searches, etc.
- Create your own internship – approach an organization you feel passionate about with a proposal stating how you could benefit them and what you could learn from them
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Get your materials together:
- Draft and polish a resume, cover letter, intro email, and thank you email. The importance of these documents cannot be overstated; make sure they are error-free and tailored to specific internships. Learn more using our Career Planning resources.
- Create a professional LinkedIn profile.
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Evaluate opportunities:
- Does the internship involve meaningful work or just menial tasks?
- Does the employer seem committed to providing ongoing supervision and feedback?
- Are you genuinely interested in the internship and do you have time to fully engage in it?
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International Internships:
- The UW and outside organizations curate opportunities for students to intern abroad. These programs range from full integration within academic departments including UW course offerings to independent study experiences. If you are interested in interning abroad, explore the resources and organizations below to learn more about available opportunities.
- UW Study Abroad
- The Intern Group (reduced fees for UW students)
- Intern Abroad HQ
- Omprakash
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Micro-Internships and Virtual Projects:
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- Micro-Internships are short-term, paid, professional assignments that are similar to those given to new hires or interns.
- Parker Dewey connects students to these at opportunities which are used by companies ranging from those in the Fortune 100 to emerging start-ups, and go across departments including sales, marketing, technology, HR, and finance.
- Similarly, Forage is a free library of employer designed job simulations that help students develop relevant work skills.
- Below is a list of other organizations offering short-term, unpaid, virtual opportunities, to work on real work projects and develop professional skills. Although less robust than an internship experience, these organizations also include professional development modules, mentorship, and career coaching as part of their services to students
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Next Steps:
- Activate your Handshake profile
- Explore the possibility of interning in another country
- Attend our Finding Internships workshop
- Go to a Job & Internship Fair
- Have your application materials reviewed in a scheduled career coaching appointment
- International students – check out the Online CPT Resources created by the International Student Services Office
