A2X Consulting

In today’s world, internships are almost considered mandatory in terms of successfully finding a job after college. An internship has always been a great way to get some hands on experience in your field of interest, but with the job market as competitive as it is, employers are starting to view internships as a required prerequisite. Aside from looking good on a resume, internships have countless benefits. They provide structured learning and provide students with the opportunity to discover whether or not this is the correct path for them. Aside from looking good on a resume, internships have countless benefits. They provide structured learning and provide students with the opportunity to discover whether or not this is the correct path for them.

Resume

First, it is important to construct a universal resume and cover letter that you can send out whenever a position looks interesting. An ideal internship resume includes one’s career goals, academic background, useful skills, and related experiences. This is what the potential employers base their first impression on and it is vital that it’s as accurate and as appealing as possible.

Internship Search

Once you feel confident with your resume, it is time to start searching for internship positions. The internet is a great tool to find an internship, but if you don’t know where to look it can be overwhelming. Monster.com, Careerbuilder.com, and USAJobs.gov are all great resources for finding temporary work. These websites are easy to navigate and can be extremely helpful in finding positions that satisfy your interests and needs. If you’re not sure what field you want to focus on, it is also helpful to narrow your search down by location. Think Intern is a useful site that rates the top ten internship cities for students and suggests companies according to location. International Student is an online resource dedicated to helping international students find co-op programs in the United States. It provides students with the opportunity to work for paid internships while also attending classes. With this program the students can choose where they would like to be located and use the campus resources to find internships in that area. Other sites, such as Idealist.org, offer internships, yet also focus on non-profit and volunteer work. A good tip for organizing your options is to target a minimum of five employers per week.

Networking

Online sites are great options, but according to ABC news, 80% of US jobs are obtained through networking. It is important to exhaust all of your options so never be hesitant to reach out to anybody who is a possible resource. Often the people in your daily life are the first part of your professional network.  Joining an association is a great way to network.  If students are currently attending college, career fairs and career services offices on campus are also tools to definitely take advantage of.

Top Internships

Bloomberg BusinessWeek ‘s third annual list of the Best Internships is a great site which ranks top internship opportunities according to stats such as pay and chance of getting full-time jobs. Deloitte LLP, an accounting firm which offers internships involving aviation, finance, baking, healthcare, and insurance, came in first place on the Bloomberg list. With positions in cities such as New York, Milwaukee, Dallas, and Austin, they are versatile in both subjects and locations. General Motors, with 3,100 available intern positions, is another leading employer of interns this year. With its recent manufacturing of hybrid motors, GM is an ideal opportunity for guaranteeing great benefits while simultaneously practicing green initiatives.

Internships by Industry

If accounting and business aren’t the direction that you are going in, there are also countless internships in the art field, According to Vault’s top ten list, the Smithsonian and the Steppenwolf Theatre Company are great opportunities for 2010. If you are interested in the editing or publishing field, Ed2010.com is a great site. As well as listing magazine internships in cities such as New York, California, and Denver, it also offers advice about resumes and interviews.

Finding an internship can be a tedious and stressful process, but with the tools available today it is possible to find the perfect position for you.

By Alexandria Bachert. Alexandria can be reached at bachert2@tcnj.edu.