Career Services
Internship Searches
A Good First Step
Before proceeding with plans for an internship students should consult with their faculty advisors and the SCS staff to determine what type of internship is best for them and receive help in the application process. If you are offered a position, obtain a registration form for academic credit from the SCS office or download and print the form and steps for credit. Near the close of the internship, schedule a feedback session with your employer supervisor using the employer feedback/student evaluation form. This form must be completed, signed and returned to the SCS office before credit will be granted. Below is a listing of web sites to help in the search for internships.
What is an internship?
An internship is an experience in which the participant, the intern, meets specific objectives in a work place. Internships supplement academics by offering the intern hands-on-work experience that he or she would not receive in an entirely academic environment. This experience includes the socialization in specific organizations; and the opportunity to bridge the gap between theoretical and practical knowledge by applying what was learned in the classroom to real life situations. Internships are a valuable tool in bridging the gap between the academics of college life to the practical context in which both profit and non-profit organizations exist.
• An on-the-job learning experience in a work setting which is directly related to your personal interests, career aspirations, and major field of study.
• An off-campus position in a public or private organization.
• A planned, structured, and supervised, field-based experience where you learn about the demands and needs of a particular profession and/or industry.
The Internship Advantage
Graduates who get better jobs recognize that employers not only check their academic record to verify learning potential, but also their relevant work experience and appropriate skills. Internships allow students to acquire the experience and skills essential to acquiring a satisfying job upon graduation. Internships are now offered in almost every career area by employers who recognize the importance of on-the-job training, and who often groom their most promising candidates for full-time positions. There is no better way to get started in your career than by participating in an internship.
Why should I consider doing an internship?
• Gain valuable hands-on work experience.
• Develop marketable job skills which are transferable to other jobs.
• Examine, explore and clarify career goals and options.
• Test personal aptitudes, abilities, and interests in relation to your career choice and job demands.
• Improve interpersonal skills such as confidence, maturity, decision making.
• Gain job-hunting skills of interviewing and resume preparation.
• Evaluate (and be evaluated by) potential employers.
• Develop references and professional contacts which may lead to future job offers.
• Integrate and complement academic studies with the on-the-job professional level experience.
• Obtain academic credit for the work performed (optional).
• Receive financial compensation (many internships are paid).
Who is eligible for internships?
• Currently enrolled Simpson students, in any major, at the sophomore, junior, or senior levels.
• Each employer and/or academic department may request a student meet certain requirements before applying for the internship.
When can I do an internship?
• Any academic term-Fall and Spring semesters, May term or Summer.
• Be sure to plan ahead to allow yourself time to meet employer and program application deadlines.
Can I develop an internship on my own?
Yes! You can arrange your own internship placement related to your field of study. Be sure to fully discuss any internship opportunity with your academic faculty-sponsor or advisor when doing an internship for credit. To gain credit the internship must be approved by the faculty sponsor and the Career Services office. Internships are not restricted geographically. Opportunities may be set up convenient to your hometown, another state or country.
How can I find an Internship?
• Talk to professors/advisors and ask for their suggestions
• Use the Career Services Jobulletin and Internship website
http://www.simpson.edu/career/career/internshipsearches.html
http://www.simpson.edu/career/jobulletin/internships.html
• Network. Are there friends of the family, parents of friends, or other people you know who might work in a company in which you would be interested?
• Approach companies you might know about yourself. First look at their websites to see if they have internship programs.
• Write a letter of introduction and inquiry. Send your resume, and ask about internship positions.
Are internships paid?
Often, the answer is yes. The organization providing the internship determines whether or not an intern will be paid. Internships are also frequently done on a purely volunteer basis.
What are the requirements to earn credit?
Taking course credit for fieldwork experience is just like taking any other course for credit. The only difference is that your classroom in the world of work. The course is listed on your transcript, informing employers that you have had practical experience in addition to your classroom learning.
The requirements for academic credit vary from department to department. Generally, the classes are graded on a pass/ fail basis. The number of credits is determined by the number of hours on the job per week. You may receive one credit for each 40 hours of internship (see course description in course book)
Each department has certain academic requirements which you must complete in order to receive credit. A faculty sponsor may provide on-going monitoring of the internship which may include readings, writing a term report, doing a critical analysis of a project. Whatever the work, it should enable the faculty-advisor to review and assess your learning and performance
Is there a tuition charge for internships?
Internships which are taken for academic credit are subject to regular tuition fees. Tuition covers the cost of having your faculty advisor supervise, monitor, evaluate and grade your work performance, and transcript notation. There is no charge for internships which are NOT taken for academic credit.
How can I participate?
• Before proceeding with plans for an internship, students should consult with their faculty advisors and the SCS staff to determine what type of internship is best for them and receive help in the application process.
• Before proceeding with plans for an internship, students should consult with their faculty advisors and the SCS staff to determine what type of internship is best for them and receive help in the application process.
• We always tell students to learn about a company before going into an interview, it is just as important to find out as much as you can about an organization before you apply for an internship. Why? For two reasons: you will be more likely to choose opportunities that are right for you; and, you will be able to target your resume and cover letter more appropriately.
• Near the close of the internship, schedule a feedback session with your employer supervisor using the employer feedback/student evaluation form. This form must be completed, signed and returned to the SCS office before credit will be granted.
Iowa employers know you have a lot to offer. Because of this, the state has developed the Iowa Student Internship Program to enable more small and medium sized employers in the biosciences, advanced manufacturing and information technology industries to offer exciting internship opportunities. If you are a student within two years of graduation and are attending an Iowa community college, independent college or regent university, check out the internships available through the Iowa Student Internship Program.
Check out Iowa Student Internship Opportunities available.
Internship Search Sites
Iowa
Iowa Life Changing http://www.smartcareermove.com/career_center/career_connection.asp
Iowa Intern
www.iowaintern.com/ided
Simpson
Global
Work, Volunteer & Intern Abroad
http://www.backdoorjobs.com/worldwide.html
http://www.globalexperiences.com
http://www.cdsintl.org/internshipsabroad/schott.php
Washington DC
CIA , engineering, computer science, mathematics, economics, physical sciences, foreign languages, business administration, accounting, international relations, finance, logistics, human resources, geography, national security studies, military and foreign affairs, political science and graphic design
University of Dreams, finance, public relations, or advertising
Koch Internship Program , law & security
American Civil Liberties Union , legal interns
Human Rights First , law & security, human rights, communications
Women's Foreign Policy Group , international affairs, communications
Media Matters for America , communications, public relations
Fox Entertainment News , Media programming, communications
Civil War Preservation Trust , history, preservation
Nationwide
Global Placement
http://www.globalplacement.comCareer Planit
http://www.planitplus.net/careerzone/Environmental Careers Organization Internships
http://www.eco.orgGreat Summer Jobs
http://www.petersons.com/highschool/landing.asp?id=872&path=hs.fas.summer&sponsor=1IInternships.com
http://www.iinternship.comInland Press Assocaition Free Newspaper Internship Directory Online http://www.inlandpress.org/
InternJobs.com
http://www.internjobs.comInternship Information from Jobtrak
http://www2.jobtrak.com/help_manuals/jobmanual/intern.htmlInternship Programs
www.InternshipPrograms.comMagazine Publishers of America
http://www.magazine.org/editorial/internships/Nonprofit Internships
http://www.idealist.org/Rising Star Internships
www.rsinternships.comWalt Disney World
http://www.wdwcollegeprogram.comWolf Trap (Performing Arts)
http://www.wolf-trap.org
Contact Simpson College
800-362-2454 (toll-free)
or
515-961-6251 (locally)
Admissions:
800-362-1624 (toll-free)
or
515-961-1624 (locally)
Admissions office hours are 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Mon through Fri
