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Resources available to help students nab that summer internship

By Karen Trimbath, Student Affairs Writer

Summer internships give students important advantages when it comes to the job market—these experiences look great on a resume and can lead to a full-time job after graduation, says Catherine S. Dufour, associate director, Recruiting and Employer Relations, Penn State Career Services.

She says that’s why students need to take the initiative to take advantage of the resources available at the University—including an April 13 job fair that will draw companies looking for summer interns as well as full-time hires. The fair will take place at the Bryce Jordan Center at the University Park campus.

“Anecdotally, students with internships get more job offers earlier and at a slightly higher salary, which adds up over time,” says Dufour. “Employers want to see experience on a resume. It’s also a great way to network.”

Internships are one-time positions that provide supervised professional experience for credit and pay. Co-ops, short for cooperative education, provide students with the chance to alternate supervised experience one semester with academic work the next for three rotations, totaling a year’s worth of experience. These positions are available through the Colleges of Engineering and Earth and Mineral Sciences and the Eberly College of Science. Co-ops are also credit-bearing and offer good salaries.

Getting an internship can feel intimidating, but help is widely available at Penn State. A number of colleges and departments have offices or designated staff to provide internship services. See the contact information at the bottom of this page.

Career Services, located in the MBNA Career Services Center, offers one of the largest on-campus recruiting programs in the country as well as some of the largest career fairs. It assists students through career counseling workshops that help them clarify career directions, develop resumes and cover letters, and practice interviewing. It also offers a multicultural internship program and Lion Link, a professional networking program that links Penn State students and alumni.

Students need to start the search process as early as Thanksgiving, says Dufour. They should plan on sending application materials out to prospective employers between January and February with the intent of interviewing around spring break.

Deadlines for applying for federal internships often fall between November and January. Traditionally most employers start recruiting in early spring, with new hires for internships in place by April. This year, though, the economy has forced some employers to hold off on hiring interns until April or May, according to Dufour.

Attending the April job fair can help students connect with representatives from major companies like General Electric, Johnson and Johnson or Merck & Co., among others. Students can see who is attending the Spring Career Day on the career fairs web site.

Students can also think outside the norm and get similar experiences in places not normally associated with their majors. For instance, public relations students could develop a portfolio of writing samples by interning at Penn State, hospitals, or other nonprofit organizations. These places often have communications offices or staff.

Networking is another resource, according to Dufour. She recommends asking parents and friends of parents who they might know in prospective companies. At the very least, parents can offer encouragement and help their children maintain their level of motivation.

“ Penn State is a big place,” she adds. “It’s easy to feel lost, but a lot of people and services are here to help personalize the internship search.”

Contacts for internships in the Colleges

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