Leaving the Beach for Coffee
April 4, 2008
The snow has melted, the grass is visible, and the trees are even producing an occasional leaf. Summer is approaching. Soon students will be able to forget about the stresses of schoolwork. It will be time for relaxation, beach parties, vacations, and… internships? For many students summer is not a break, but a time to stress about internships, spending their summers gaining “workplace experience” and learning skills for the real world. The internship process can be nerve-racking and incredibly complicated, but it doesn’t have to be.
In an attempt to answer some common questions regarding the internship process, the Observer sought the advice of Career Services director Jean Papalia, who has a bit of insight into the subject. One of the easiest ways to look for an internship is to explore some of the resources that Career Services has to offer. Ms. Papalia suggested that students regularly check postings on Tufts Career Connect, a database provided by Career Services, which draws from employers that are specifically interested in Tufts students. General job search websites such as indeed.com can also sometimes yield results. For an introduction to the online internship search, the Career Services website offers a 15 minutes online tutorial that can be accessed via their website, careers.tufts.edu.
But what if online searches still aren’t giving students the results they want? Ms. Papalia pointed to another, perhaps more important means of finding internships. “The most successful route to your internship is likely to happen via networking,” she said. “One aspect of networking is known as an informational interview: meeting with individuals to learn more about their jobs, employers, or industries. From these meetings, you’ll learn valuable information and, in some cases, this can generate job leads.” Indeed, research indicates that adequate networking can be the key to a successful job search.
Finding internships you are interested in is important, but it is just the first step. Many internship providers receive stacks of applications from highly driven students. To obtain an internship in this increasingly competitive world, standing out is crucial. A uniquely customized cover letter is one significant way to distinguish oneself from the average applicant. “Additionally,” remarked Ms. Papalia, “you should identify and contact organizations of interest directly. Many students work with particular employers to create internships geared towards their strengths and interests.”
Of course, many other important factors go into choosing a summer internship. One of the biggest concerns for many students is whether an internship is paid. Understandably, it is difficult to justify spending an entire summer working for no money. Limiting the search to paid internships can be highly problematic, however, especially since many career fields tend to offer only unpaid internships. Though some students are able to combine a part-time unpaid internship with a part-time paid summer job, this does not work for everyone. Fortunately, Tufts Career Services has mechanisms in place to make internships accessible to all students. For the third conservative year, Career Services is offering summer internship grants to approximately 35 students; 25 for interns on the not-for-profit or public sectors, six for students with financial need interning in the private sector, and five for students in entrepreneurial organizations.
Another major uncertainty may arise over the substance of an internship. Is a hands-on experience important? Is it worth it to get an internship at a prestigious location if you know that all you will be doing is mindless secretary work? Ms. Papalia attempted to put some of these concerns in perspective; “I think it might be helpful to think about internships in the broadest sense: that is, a learning opportunity which can contribute to your career development by providing exposure to and hands on experience in an area of interest,” she said. “The skills and knowledge you gain are more important than the employer for whom you worked. In some cases, working for a highly recognizable employer can create networking opportunities; students must make decisions on a case-by-case basis.”
While by no means a definitive answer, this advice should hopefully help to alleviate pressure to find the “perfect” internship. It is possible to benefit from many different types of internships. Whether an internship is paid or unpaid, hands-on or more mundane, it can be a very valuable experience to have had. A summer internship can provide great experience to explore career options, and can help students stand out to future employers. According to the Senior Survey in 2007, 78% of the class reported that their internship helped them choose a career. And if you don’t have that amazing summer you expected? That’s OK, said Ms. Papalia. “Sometimes an internship will help you decide that you do not want to pursue a career path,” she noted.
It is never too early to start looking for a summer internship. Increasingly, first-year students are making appointments with Career Services to learn about resources and tools it has to offer. Tufts provide many outlets to help students find internships, and it is incredibly easy to take advantage of them. So forget about the beach this summer; head to the office instead. It could be the first step to a promising career, and if nothing else, at least you might have something good to put on your résumé.