2021 Career Services Guide

Finding an Internship
Internships are an increasingly essential element of a college student’s career development. An
internship is a short-term position where students can apply classroom knowledge, gain skills, acquire
experience, and benefit from expert supervision.
An Internship Can Be:
• Paid or unpaid
• Full-time or part-time
• Three months, two semesters, or longer
• For academic credit (check with the Office of
the Registrar for more information)
Before You Get Started
• What industry do you want to explore?
• When will you intern? (e.g. Fall, Spring,
Summer?)
• Will you have transportation?
• Where do you want to work? Live?
• How much money do you need to make?
• Can you combine an unpaid internship with
a part-time job?
Ways to Search
Handshake
• Search for internships by keyword, industry,
location, and other relevant filters.
• Under Events, register for and attend
on-campus recruiting events with employers.
Idealist
• Find opportunities with nonprofit
organizations.
LinkedIn and Glassdoor
• Search for internships by keyword, industry,
location, and more.
Vault (access via Resources in Handshake)
• Click Explore Internships to search for
positions.
Networking
• Conduct informational interviews
with Scripps alumnae, professors, and
professionals of interest in the industry (and
city) you would like to intern (see pages 9-11).
• Directly contact employers of interest.
Part-time, summer, and
temporary jobs can also
provide fantastic experience.
Samantha Simon ’17
Organizational Studies
Junior Account Executive
Allied Global Marketing
Throughout the spring of my sophomore year at Scripps,
I was a nervous wreck applying for internships, especially
because the field I wanted to work in, entertainment, was
notoriously competitive. I was worried that everyone
would be more experienced than me and that I had
nothing to contribute. When I finally got that first yes, I
was thrilled! That internship introduced me to my next
internship, which Scripps supported with an Internship
Grant, and after graduation, the organization hired me.
Now I am on the team that hires interns (I’ve even hired
Scripps students!) and it’s a meaningful experience to
actualize the power of networking.
I have two pieces of advice that stemmed from my
experiences: first is that it only takes one yes to take
you down your career path and get you started. Second,
while some relative experience will always be necessary,
those who hire interns often prioritize passion. The
company I work for took a chance on me with no prior
film work—now it’s my chance to do the same. Whatever
kind of internship you want, remember that you don’t
have to be the reigning expert in that field—we know
you’re just getting started and trying new things. If you
can show that truly you want to be there and are willing
to do whatever is necessary to succeed in that position,
you have a much higher chance of getting hired.
Visit with a career counselor to
develop an individualized search plan.
16 / INTERNSHIPS AND JOBS