What is an Internship?

An internship is a career-related experience, intended to expose you to a career field of interest while offering you the ability to acquire professional experience. It should be considered a learning experience, but you will be expected to be productive and add value to any organization you join. Internships may be paid or unpaid, for credit or not, and full-time or part-time. The length of internships may vary, from 8 to 10 weeks in the summer to an entire year (year-long internships/fellowships are typically for new graduates). Internships are available in the fall, winter, spring and summer. Although summer tends to be the most convenient for undergraduates, be sure to investigate opportunities at other times of the year -- you might find some exciting opportunities while competing with fewer candidates because it is not the summer.

Getting Started

Finding an internship or summer job takes planning, organization, and perhaps even a little luck. It is important to start early, to allow yourself enough time to do everything you can to thoroughly research and pursue opportunities that interest you most. But where do you start if you don't know what interests you? Any job search should always begin with self-assessment: take stock of your interests (what you enjoy doing), your values (what's important to you), your skills (what you do well), and your personality (how you prefer to interact with others, for example). Knowing yourself will help you better set goals. Interest inventories and other self-exploration resources are available through Career Services -- make an appointment with a counselor to explore.

If you already have a goal in mind, then a good place to begin is to attend an Internship 101: Effective Search Strategies Workshop. These workshops provide strategies and resources for an effective internship search. You may subscribe to the CareerNews listserv to receive announcements about upcoming events and special internships. You will want to register with TigerTracks, our online recruiting and communication system, which features internships, full-time jobs, and a wealth of career information. By filling out the student profile and indicating your career interests, Career Services can send you targeted job listings and announcements via email.

International students who wish to work in the United States for the summer have special visa issues to consider. Undergraduate international students should speak with Dean Rachel Baldwin in 313 West College and graduate students should speak with Jennifer McNabb in the Office of Visa Services, 120 Alexander.

Develop a Plan

Ask yourself a number of questions to help establish priorities. What do you want or need out of an internship? For what sort of organization do you wish to work: large/small, public/government/non-profit, specific industry/diversified services? Do you have geographic restrictions? Will lack of transportation be an issue for you in some geographic areas? Do you need to earn some sort of money? Before you can start looking for an internship, you need to know what you are looking for -- answering questions like these will help guide your initial search.

As already mentioned, the first step in developing a plan is self-assessment. What sorts of interests do you have (e.g., working with computers, writing, speaking, politics, tutoring or teaching others, outdoor activities)? How are these interests applied in jobs (e.g., outdoor activities can = interest in environmental field research or interest in instructing adolescents in rock climbing; writing can = interest in newspaper journalism or interest in web page content development; politics can = working on a presidential campaign or grassroots organizing and research for a non-profit). Brainstorm with friends, advisors, faculty and career counselors -- how might I use my interests in day-to-day "work"?

Be sure to also take stock of your skills and capabilities. You probably have more to offer than you realize. Again, brainstorm based on your experiences in college: "I write well." "I am proficient with Excel and developing spreadsheets." "I can conduct excellent research for projects and papers." "I speak fluent French and German." Internship employers do not expect that you will already have directly-related work experience; instead, they will assess the skills you do have and evaluate how well those skills transfer or apply to their work settings. You must be enthusiastic and present yourself with confidence, as employers are looking for people who can make contributions to their organizations.

Identify and Research Employers

Once you have established some tentative goals, you will need to identify and research potential employers. You can do this in a variety of ways:

Internship and Summer Job Directories - Located in the Career Services library, directories are books that list a variety of internships, company addresses, and names of contact people to whom you may send your application for a position. Career Services has a whole section of its library devoted to internships, such as: Directory of International Internships, Insider's Guide to Political Internships, Internship Bible, Music & Entertainment Industry Internship Guide, National Directory of Arts Internships, Professional Sports Internship Book, The Human Rights Internship Book, and many others.

Internship Listings - Thousands of internships are available online in TigerTracks (eRecruiting), a Career Services' web-based recruiting and career information database. As part of a consortia of several prestigious schools around the country, we are able to advertise domestic and international opportunities in a wide variety of industries. A number of other excellent web resources are available on the Additional Listings section of this webpage.

Networking/Personal Contacts - Even in the best of economic times, many jobs are filled informally. Thus, family, friends, professors, past employers, classmates and alumni are important resources. They can help you be considered for many positions that will never be advertised formally. Nearly 4,500 Princeton alumni have volunteered to assist students with their career and internship concerns (although their willingness to give advice is no guarantee of a job). Access these alumni through the Alumni Careers Network.

Professional Associations - Associations provide networking and professional development among people interested in a particular discipline or field. Associations often have their own web sites, journals, job newsletters, and staff who can provide advice on how to get a job within their field. For example, if you know you are interested in a career in marketing, you might want to contact the American Marketing Association -- even if you aren't looking for a job. Associations are ready-made networks that you should try to tap into.

Career Fairs - Career Services sponsors an October career fair featuring over 100 employers seeking to fill full-time and internship positions in a variety of corporate, non-profit and government organizations. The School of Engineering and Applied Science also hosts an October Science and Technology Career Fair. In late February, Career Services sponsors an Internship Fair. Then, in March, Career Services holds a non-profit "Careers in the Public Good" fair. Career fairs are an excellent place to meet a number of employers, distribute your resume to those of interest to you, and ask more detailed questions about firms in which you are already interested.

On-Campus Recruiting - Some opportunities to interview on-campus for internship positions are available. Most of the internships in this category are open mainly for juniors. The first step -- which all students should do regardless of class standing -- is to register with TigerTracks, our online recruiting and communication system. Those organizations interviewing on campus will have their job descriptions posted within TigerTracks. Registered students may log in, review job descriptions, and retrieve company contact information. If interested in a job, students may upload a resume, cover letter, and transcript (if required) into the system and electronically submit them to each employer of interest. After the job application deadline, employers review resumes and select those students they wish to interview.

Career and Industry Guides - Career and industry guides are similar to directories, in that they often contain address and contact information for various organizations. They differ, however, by providing more detailed job descriptions and responsibilities typically associated with those positions. Examples of such guides within the Career Services library include: Great Jobs for History Majors, Breaking and Entering - Land Your First Job in Film Publishing, Careers in Communications, Harvard College Guide to Consulting, Environmental Career Guide, 150 Careers in the Health Field, Harvard College Guide to Investment Banking, Complete Guide to Public Employment, and more.

Other Princeton University Programs - A number of excellent opportunities are available through offices on or near campus. Princeton-in-Asia, Princeton-in-Africa, Princeton-in-Latin America, Princeton-in-France, the German Summer Work Program and the International Internship Program offer connections to international opportunities. The Class of 1969 Community Service Fund, CBLI and the Student Volunteers Council offer wonderful non-profit opportunities. Additionally, a number of funds exist to offer financial assistance to those with unpaid internships. To learn more about these programs, visit the Princeton Internships Programs link.

Tools and Tips for Applying

A resume, cover letter, and interviewing skills are critical tools for any job search. Career Services offers regular assistance on these topics. Once you have a draft of your resume, you may drop it off or stop by during walk-ins to have a counselor offer feedback. After attending an interview preparation workshop, practice your skills by signing up for a mock interview with a career counselor. Check our online calendar for a list of programs offered throughout the semester.

A few final pointers: Follow application deadline dates where they are clearly stated by individual organizations. If no deadlines are given, send resumes and cover letters to targeted companies by the end of January at the latest (or place some telephone calls to clarify application deadlines and procedures). Remember to follow up with organizations you have applied to after a reasonable interval (one to two weeks). In the follow up, ask about the status of your application, but also re-express your interest in the position and don't be afraid to ask for the opportunity to speak further about your qualifications. Some organizations make decisions fairly quickly, but others might not decide on summer hiring until April, May or June -- so continue checking TigerTracks and keep networking!