Internship Experiences help launch Student's Success
Worried about what you will be doing after you graduate? Then begin your search on Wednesday, February 20, 2008 at Career Expo in the Memorial Student Union North Ballroom. Whatever year you are in school, a pass through the Career Expo will undoubtedly give you more than a few leads about a possible summer internship or career placement. All the participating companies want to hire University of Arizona students into their programs and are interested in students from a variety of majors with a wide array of interests.
So what if you aren’t sure, and won’t be graduating for a year or so? Try an internship this summer and learn about a potential career. Internships provide a close look at a potential industry and offer an in depth view of the job challenges and responsibilities. In addition, summer internships will help you build your resume in order to be more competitive when you begin interviewing your senior year. Through the summer internship you will likely be developing three skills all employers are looking for – leadership, interpersonal communication and teamwork.
To make the most of the experience look for internships that are structured, offer performance feedback and have the potential to lead to career placement with the company. Most internship are from 8 – 12 weeks in length and often incorporate a variety of assignments and activities to maximize the interns exposure to the company. Generally interns will receive some compensation for the work experience, either an hourly wage, academic credit or oftentimes – both! Rate of pay will vary depending on the industry, but most interns will earn an average of $10 - $14.00 per hour. Students interested in earning academic credit will need to check with their major department to see what procedures must be followed.
Many of the participating Career Expo companies offer structured internships because they recognize that these internships provide an ideal setting for the student and company to get to know each other. After a three month internship most interns know if the company culture is a good fit for them, so essentially these internships become a three month interview. If an internship is in your future for the summer 2008, don’t miss this chance to connect with potential employers. See you are Career Expo!
