Finding Internships

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 proven ways to locate internship opportunities.

Tap Into Your Network

Nearly half of recent UW grads said that personal connections helped them land a job. And according to some studies, anywhere from 70%-85% of jobs are found through networking.
What to do: Tell your friends, family, classmates, mentors—everyone! Let them know what kind of internship you’re looking for and ask them to keep an ear out.

Show Up at Career Fairs

At the 2017 UW Internship Fair, 83% of employers said they made internship offers to students they met there — across tons of different industries.
Pro tip: Make it your goal to attend at least one of the 70+ job, internship, and career fairs happening this year across campus. (Seriously, it’s one of the easiest ways to get face time with recruiters!)

Connect at Employer Events

The Career & Internship Center hosted 50+ employer events last year. Employers want to meet you — don’t miss out.
Take action: Check out our events calendar for Workshops, Info Sessions, Panels, and more. Learn, ask questions, and make connections.

Explore Handshake

Did you know? Over 10,000 internships were posted on Handshake last year – and 90%+ were paid! Log in, set up your profile, and start your internship search.

Use Your Academic Department

More than 40 UW departments offer experiential learning courses (from internships, undergraduate research, independent study, and more). Even more departments share helpful tips, resources, and job leads.

Find out how your department shares info (email lists, blogs, Teams groups, bulletin boards). You might be surprised what’s already available to you.

CELE Center

Interested in making a difference? The Community Engagement & Leadership Education (CELE) Center is your go-to for internships in the non-profit and public sectors.

Look into their Undergraduate Community-Based Internship (UCBI) program and other public service fellowships or scholarships.

Other Smart Ways to Search

Sometimes the best opportunities come from looking beyond the usual job boards. Here are some additional strategies to expand your search — or even create your own path.

Search the Web: Use strategic keyword combinations in your favorite search engine.

Try “[field] internship [city]” or “remote [industry] internship paid”
Examples:
“UX design internship Seattle”
“Remote public health internship paid”

Go Straight to the Source: Have a company or organization in mind?

  • Visit their Careers or Jobs page
  • Search for “internships” or “early talent programs”
    • If nothing’s listed, don’t give up! Reach out via email or LinkedIn with a tailored message expressing interest.

Create Your Own Internship: Yes, really. If there’s an organization, especially a non-profit, startup or small business, you’re excited about, you can propose a customized internship.

  1. Identify a need they have (social media, research, outreach, etc.)
  2. Draft a 1-page proposal that includes:
    • What you can help with
    • Skills you bring
    • Your learning goals
    • Timeline and availability
  3. Reach out to someone at the organization and pitch your idea!
    • A Career Coach or academic advisor can help you fine-tune the proposal.

Volunteer First: If an internship isn’t available, volunteering can be a great start. Many organization are open to turning a volunteer role into something more formal, especially if you show initiative and commitment.

Use Social Media (Strategically): Follow companies and organizations on LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter/X.

  • Watch for internship announcements or hiring updates.
  • Comment thoughtfully or engage with their posts to show genuine interest, especially for smaller orgs.

Tap Into Listservs & Newsletters: Most academic departments, campus centers and career offices send out regular emails packed with internship listings. Make sure you’re subscribed to:

  • Your major’s departmental listserv
  • The Career & Internship Center newsletter
    • Students are automatically added. If you’re not seeing these in your inbox, reach out to askcic@uw.edu for help!
  • Campus centers, like the CELE Center, Q Center or the Office of Undergraduate Research

Explore Niche Internship Sites

  • Idealist – for social impact roles
  • WayUp – for student & entry-level jobs
  • LinkedIn – powerful filtering and alerts
  • HireCulture – arts & culture-focused (based in Massachusetts, but some remote options available)
  • Parker Dewey – paid micro-internships