Internships

Recently I worked with a couple of students who just found out that the internship they thought they had for the summer, is now no longer in existence. Imagine securing the perfect summer internship in January only to find out in May that the internship offer has been rescinded.

The key to this situation is not to panic. Depending on your location there may be many other options that you can pursue that will be just as valuable as the internship you were planning to do.

Checking out search engines like Indeed.com and SimplyHired.com are good places to start.  Also, checking on your local Chamber of Commerce and newspaper to uncover any late listings that may have recently been posted. Volunteering is also always another option.  Through creativity and flexibility you may turn this summer into one of the best experiences you've ever had.

If you've finally landed a summer internship, please leave us a comment.

Even though it's rather late for finding summer internships or jobs, there may still be some opportunities available. I recommend trying the classified ads in your local newspaper, the local Chamber of Commerce, plus you may try prospecting with employers in a location where you plan on being for the summer.

Plans may change which could open up some new summer opportunities, so be sure to take a proactive approach if you are still looking.

Microsoft offers internships to current undergraduates, Masters and PhD students.

Students working as Microsoft Research interns get an opportunity to apply research and theory to everyday practice and do this while working alongside professional researchers to learn the tips of the trade.

As an intern at Microsoft, students will be offered positions with real responsibility that also provide amazing experiences and an opportunity to jumpstart their career. Microsoft provides internship opportunities for students interested in computer science, electrical engineering, math, and even the social sciences and most of these students also have a focus on technology. Many students who are interested in Microsoft Research internships are currently pursuing PhD degrees while undergrads tend to go more toward product development and technology internships.

We always discuss how internships benefit students but what about the importance of an intern to an organization?

Hiring an intern is a great way to bring new talent and a fresh perspective into any organization. With all of the new technological advances, college students can bring the knowledge and skills they learn in the classroom and apply it to scenarios in the real world. Applying what they learn in the classroom is one of the real benefits an intern brings to any organization.

With all of the new advances in computers and social media, it doesn't usually take a company long before they realize the value that an intern can immediately bring to an organization.  If your company has never hired an intern, it's about time that you work with your top management in order to bring an internship program into your workforce.

Forbes ranks Intel #8 among the "Best Internships in America", while Businessweek rates them #20 as one of the "Best Places to Launch a Career", so if you are seeking an internship in software engineering why not check out Intel?

Intel's eaRly Internship (IRISE) for software engineering is designed to involve students interested in software engineering early on in their careers. Intel works hard to provide students with real hands-on work experience in order for them to leave their internships with the basic skills it takes to be hired on as a full-time entry-level employee.

Intel locations include Austin, TX; Chandler, AZ; Columbia, SC; DuPont, WA; Folsom, CA; Fort Collins, CO; Hillsboro, OR; Hudson, MA; Rio Rancho, NM; and Santa Clara, CA.

So if you are looking for a software engineering internship you may want to try Intel.

Each year college students flock to find summer internships. By doing an internship, students hope to gain relevant work experience that they will eventually need to get hired into a full-time job.  This experience can then be included on their resume for all employers to see. The other benefit of completing a summer internship is gaining exposure to professionals in the field who will be able to provide a good reference.

Even though students would like to get paid for their internship, it appears that from a survey conducted by The National Association of Colleges & Employers the results show that 60% of students who completed a paid internship were hired into full-time jobs versus 37% of unpaid interns and 36% of students who never completed an internship at all.  These numbers are significant when many students do internships in order to land a full-time job.

The key to good resume writing is to include information that will be of most relevance to an employer and what's is specific to an internship or a job.

For jobs related to the art industry, it may not be relevant to include experience working for the government or even jobs related to psychology or social work since they have no relevance to the job.  On the other hand, if you are interested in government, politics, or community service you will want to create a resume that focuses on government related internships and experiences.

You also want to focus on what skills are required to do the job. Many transferable skills such as interpersonal, communication, organizational, and leadership skills can be included when applying for any almost position while skills in graphic arts, math, or computer may only be relevant for internships or jobs in those specific areas.

You may be a graduating senior who has decided to travel or do some kind of community service or gap year experience after graduation, so you may be feeling ok that graduation is just a few weeks away.

On the other hand, you may be a graduating senior who is currently seeking a job but has not received an offer so far.  Although this can be a very scary feeling, consider this to be just one bump in the road until you land a full-time job.

The key is to continue networking, reviewing online listings and company websites, and prospecting for opportunities that come up all the time. It's important to not panic just because you don't have something lined up prior to walking across the stage and receiving your diploma.

After spending weeks or months finding the right internship, you finally get an offer from a company but you realize that you would prefer something else.

Getting an internship offer is great news but what if you decide that the offer you received is not your first choice?  Should you accept or should you turn down the offer and wait for something better to come along?  Some might say to accept the offer and then quit if you receive an internship that you feel is better suited to your career goals.

Finding yourself in a situation like this can be very sticky; and if not handled correctly, could pose problems when seeking a job in the field after graduation. In an industry where everyone knows everyone, declining an offer after accepting could pose some real problems when seeking future jobs. But what if you do receive an offer and nothing else seems to be available at the time, is it ok to accept an internship and then resign should something better come along?

For students interested in gaining experience in business, particularly in sales, you might want to check out internship opportunities with American Greetings. As one of the leaders in creating social expressions products and one of the largest collections of greetings on the web, American Greetings gives interested students a chance to gain experience along with potential full-time job opportunities for the future.

Internship qualifications include a bachelor or master's degree, strong academic credentials, relevant internship experience, strong analytical, written, communication and presentation skills, and self-motivation and demonstrated strong desire to achieve results.