Grove City College recognizes that an internship can be one of the more valuable experiences a student can have during his or her college career. Practical experience in the workplace is not only an education in itself; it is also increasingly demanded by potential employers in today's marketplace. Students need the opportunity to take advantage of the education, practical experience, and resume potential which only internships can provide. An extensive variety of internship opportunities, therefore, are provided across the curriculum, and all eligible students are encouraged to participate in such opportunities whenever possible.

MORE ABOUT INTERNSHIPS:

What is an internship?
An internship is a short-term work or service experience that provides insight into a particular career. The purpose of an internship is to bridge the gap between classroom knowledge and the actual working world.

Why should I pursue an internship?
Internships provide a way to explore a field of interest. An internship can give you an idea of what a job will be like on a day to day basis. It can give you an idea about the kinds of things you would like to do and whether you would be happy in that type of job.

Internships also provide the opportunity for the honing of skills which can strengthen your candidacy when you are job-hunting or applying for graduate school. In fact, internships are already considered a necessary part of the process for law and medical students and are fast approaching this level of importance for job candidates in other fields. At the very least, an internship is a useful entrée for establishing a network of contacts within a particular industry. Be sure that you understand what types of experiences you will need to be considered for a permanent position in your area of interest. For many careers, you will need to consider your internship as an investment in your education and in the future.

First things first…
In order to begin your search for an internship, you should have some general idea of what you want in a career. You can acquire this knowledge by considering everything from your likes and dislikes to your talents and liabilities. Career Services can also help with this step, through one-on-one counseling and other resources.

Another important step in finding an internship is preparing for the competition that you will face in applying for it. An internship is like a job search in that sponsors wish to take the best candidate, as measured by transcripts, resumes, and interviews. You should shape your course-load with this in mind, and you should hone your resume and interviewing skills with the help of the Office of Career Services. Once this is accomplished, you are truly ready to begin your search.

How do I find an Internship?

Here are some suggestions for locating employers and internship opportunities.

Visit the Career Services Office: The Grove City College Career Services Office offers many programs and services to help student prepare for their internship search. Such programs and seminars include Resume Writing, Interviewing Preparation, Networking, Searching for an Internship, and Utilizing the Hidden Job Market in your Job Search. Check with the Career Services Office for details concerning this year’s programs.

Job Listings: The Career Services Office utilizes the well-known and effective MonsterTRAk online recruiting system. MonsterTRAK links our students with prospective employers, and allows students the opportunity to participate in on-campus internship interviewing. Additionally, the CSO website maintains a full list of internship links. Finally, in the CSO library, we maintain a number of hard-copy materials that lists thousands of internship openings.

Career Fairs: The Career Services Office sponsors several fairs to link students to organizations. Each fall a Career Fair is held in the IM Room, and hosts over 125 organizations (including companies, non-profits, graduate schools, and seminaries), who offer internships, full-time jobs, and graduate school opportunities. An Internship Fair is also offered, and allows underclassmen students to “network” with fellow upperclassmen students about their successful internships during the past summer. A Camp Fair is then held in the spring.

Network: Talk with friends, family, co-workers, supervisors, instructors, administrators, and professionals in your field of study, and let them know you are searching for an internship. Many GCC alumni have graciously volunteered to serve as a resource for current students, offering invaluable services and advice. The CSO attempts to connect alumni with current students in several ways. First, we host a “Career Panel Night” each spring featuring alumni making short presentations, answering questions, and providing ample opportunities for networking. Second, we organize a “Shadowing Day” where students are matched with alumni and allowed to follow an alumnus in their place of employment for a day. Third, we advise students to make use of the Alumni Directory, (listing of over 25,000 alumni) available in the Career Office.

Research: The Career Library and the Career Services Website hold a number of resources to help students explore employers based on different criteria including industry, geographic location and many others. Such resources include the Vault online library, CareerSearch, and Job Bank books.

Contact your academic department’s internship coordinator.
If you would like to receive academic credit for an internship you have secured, talk with your academic department’s Internship Coordinator.

Turn Your Internship into a Full-Time Position
Consider an internship as a dry run for the full-time job search. Many organizations are now using internships as a way to get an advance look at students and are making offers to those students when they graduate. Make your internship work for you.  It can be the first link in the chain of your career.