Communication Department Online Magazine

What's It Like To Be That Major?
Description of each major in the communication field.

Learning in All Seasons: Summer and Winter Terms
Information about summer and winter terms.

Real Life, Right Now: The Alumni Experience
Alumni talk about post-college experiences.

What Class is That?
A detailed description your upcoming classes.

Victoria Vlisides
Josh Clark
Cara O'Brien

Inside:

Internship qualities: What businesses want (B)

Student and alumnae stories of internship experience (C)

A. Internship Overview
Victoria Vlisides

What is an internship?

An internship is a job opportunity related to a student's career goal. It usually involves a student working in a professional setting under the supervision of an employer. Students can expect internships to typically last for an academic semester, which is about 15 weeks for fall or spring, or for summer, which is about 12 weeks. UW-Whitewater Internship Coordinator Laura Jacobs recommended students start preparing and searching for internships their sophomore year. “The sooner you start the process, the better,” she said. Jacobs said students should be devoting at least 10 hours per week in order for the experience to be a valuable one. Most part time internships require anywhere from 10 to 20 hours per week. Some internships are full-time.

Why they are important?

Overall, internships are extremely important for students to take advantage of while in college. Two to three internships by the end of a college career for a student is now a normal thing, Jacobs said. Often times, students are hired for a job where they’re interning. Many places of employment specifically look for students who’ve had internship experience because that means less on-the-job training they’ll require. “It’s a great way for the company to get to know you and for you to get to know the company,” Jacobs said. Lastly, an internship can help students figure out if their really interested in the job area of study. “College is not really for learning how to do a job,” Jacobs said. “That’s what an internship is for!”

Do I get paid?

Many students have shown concerns about whether an internship will be paid. Especially with the current economic state of our country, internships will often be unpaid, Jacobs said. But this shouldn’t deter students away from the unpaid internships because they are usually part-time, which allows for other work to pay the bills. Jacobs reminded there will be more competition for the ones that are paid, so students should be on top of their game. One way to start the internship search is to attend the university’s (4) career fairs. “Many students use these as a way to do networking and have questions about the company answered,” Jacobs said. Students can even go to the university internships search engine, (3) HawkQuest right now and get started on an internship search.

Can I get credit for an internship?

Some internships are for university credit. They can be anywhere from one to three credits depending on the department a student is in. An internship is still an internship, however, even if the university does not recognize it for credit. The only difference is a student didn’t sign up for the internship on their class schedule. “The experience in a student’s desired career field is what’s most important,” Jacobs said.

Checking up on internship status

The call back, or checking up on the status of your employment, is a major aspect of any interview many students are unclear on. For applications, Jacobs said to wait to call the company back until about a week after the application deadline. “When you apply for something, it’s always a good idea to check back,” Jacobs said. “But not to the point where it’s annoying. Use common sense, but make sure you’re on their ‘radar.’”

Links for success

Students looking for an internship can go to the Hawk Quest Site on the University (1) internship Web site to kick off their internship quest. Check out the weekly (2) updated internship blog and twitter updates. Again, go to the university internships search engine, (3)HawkQuest right now and get started on your internship. Another good place to start looking for internships is the “Internship Board” in the Comm. Dept. hallway on the 4th floor in Heide, or talk to an advisor.