How to Land an Internship: A Quick Guide

Decorative image depicting two hands shaking and the text "How to get an internship"

Securing an internship is a crucial step in your career journey that offers valuable hands-on experience and industry connections. Whether you're a student ready to build experience or a professional seeking experience in a new field, this guide will help you navigate the process of landing an internship.

Here are four steps we recommend you take in your internship hunt:

Identify your interests and goals
Research and build your network
Leverage your network
Be persistent and positive

Let’s discuss each step in more detail.

Identify Your Interests and Goals

Reflect on your interests and career goals. You shouldn’t just take any internship, you need to make sure it aligns with future career goals. Consider:

What industries or fields interest you?
What skills do you want to develop?
What type of work environment suits you?

Research and Networking

Take some time to search various resources, but don’t depend solely on these.

You can use the following:

Handshake
- Search jobs and use the internships filter.
Other Online Job Portals
- Visit Indeed, LinkedIn, Glassdoor, and Internships.com or Google search internships with specific keywords.
Company Websites
- Look at the career pages of companies you like. Sometimes you’ll find they post opportunities directly on their website.
Professional Associations
- Check industry-specific job boards and events. If you don’t know what associations exist within your field, talk to a career coach or faculty member.

If you would rather be placed into an internship or need more hands-on help. The University of Utah offers many placement programs through the following offices:

Hinckley Institute
Goff Explorers
Learning Abroad
Community Champions (for first- and second-year students)

You may also consider micro-internships, which are small bite size internships (4-40 hours in total) to gain some skills/experience.

Leverage Your Network

Connecting with people is the strongest strategy for securing an internship. Here are some people to consider as they may have industry connections:

Family and Friends
- They might know of openings.
Alumni Networks
- Connect with alumni in your field for insights and referrals. Linked-in is a great place to find alumni.
Faculty
- They are often connected to professional opportunities out there.

Be Persistent and Positive

Landing an internship requires effort, perseverance, and a strategic approach. Don't get discouraged. Keep applying, networking, and refining your materials. Each effort brings you closer to your goal.

Paid Internships vs Unpaid Internships

Paid internships are the best route to success but will generally be more competitive and less flexible to your schedule. Unpaid internships can be more flexible, but it’s important to make sure it will really help you for the future. As a U student, you can apply for Step Up funds if you secure an unpaid internship, which can pay up to $13 an hour for your work.

Meet with Your Career Coach

Your career coach at the U would love to help you in your internship search. Book an appointment today for personalized advice on your resume, internship hunt, applications, interview practice, and more.