How to Find an Internship

Finding an internship involves the same steps as any other employment search. In fact, internship-hunting is a great way to develop and practice skills that you will use throughout your career.

The one distinction that sets an internship search apart from other employment searches is that the primary goal of a successful internship is intended to be a learning experience, designed to broaden awareness of a career field and specific jobs within that field. This means that it is important that a student work with their Faculty Sponsor and the Career Center to help determine the specific learning objectives and desired skills development that are likely to result from a particular internship experience.

As with any job search, whether it is for a part-time job, a summer job, or for a post-graduate position, there are three basic strategies to engage in during an internship search:

1. Identify resources where internship openings are listed. Cast a wide net by searching through Colby specific resources, browsing career field specific databases and by meeting with the Internship Coordinator.

2. Identify organizations that are engaged in the type of work you would like to be doing and approach them directly with a well-written resume accompanied by a cover letter, which clearly and directly states your qualifications.

3. Utilize and build you network of relationships, including personal (family and their business associates, friends/classmates, social groups, faith-based, etc.); professional/academic (teachers/professors, work supervisors, alumni, etc.); and organizational (industry-specific professional associations, etc.)  As mentioned above, Colby alumni are an excellent resource to add to your network (see "Alumni Directory" below). Be sure to ask contacts for guidance and referrals when networking and hone your skills by reading the Career Center's "Networking and Informational Interviewing" handout.

The Career Center's web site has a variety of on-line resources that relate directly to the basic strategies outlined above. Students should also consider visiting the Career Center in person and meeting with one of the Career Advisors to discuss their overall internship goals and to be introduced to these and other online resources.

1. Colby Connect is the Career Center's search engine and database for jobs and internships---both Colby Specific and non-Colby specific---that can be searched using a variety of parameters, including career field and geographic region. You can locate Colby Connect by going to the Career Center's home page and selecting "Colby Connect" on the left menu.

2.  Liberal Arts Career Network  (LACN) is a consortium of the career offices of 30 top small liberal arts colleges, including Colby. Our membership provides students access to job postings (including seasonal and internships) from all 30 schools. Like Colby Connect, LACN can be searched using a variety of parameters, including career field and geographic region; the database is updated daily.

3. Internships-USA is an on-line database of internships primarily for the summer months. It allows you to conduct a search both by U.S. state and career field. Don't be deceived by the name - international opportunities are also available.

4. Spotlight on Careers is a collection of web sites designed to give students an overview of 28 different career fields. Each site provides numerous links to related resources such as industry and company information, as well as links to internship opportunities.

5. CareerSearch allows you to research over two million companies and organizations in scores of career fields. Target your search to find companies in fields related to your interests, and present them with your qualifications directly. Many organizations include links to their web sites, which frequently provide information abuot their internship programs.

6. CareerInsider is a comprehensive on-line career resource including the capacity to do company and industry research as well as job searches, among many other services like downloadable guides on employers, career topics, industries, and international opportunities.

7. The Colby Alumni Network (CAN) is one of the College's greatest strengths. When you graduate, you will be joining a family of approximately 28,000 living alumni. With the Career Center's help, juniors and seniors (come see us for a password) can access the CAN online by going to the Career Center's home page and selecting "Alumni Director" on the left menu. The Colby Alumni Network is a good way to explore potential career fields and employers and to develop invaluable professional contacts.