Internships

Internships are a wonderful way to gain career-related experience while in college.  An internship is an on-site work experience either directly related to your majoror your career interest.  In today's highly competitive job market, a degree alone often is not enough to secure desired employment.  Many employers areinterested in graduates who possess hands-on, applicable work experience.  Internships are an excellent means by which students can attain this experience andknowledge. 

The Career Center posts paid internship opportunities in a variety of fields. The listings are updated daily and are available for viewing in the Career Center andthrough MonsterTRAK.

How do STJ students find internships?

Online: The Career Center posts paid internship opportunities in a variety of fields.  The listings are updated daily and are available for viewing in the Career Center and through MonsterTRAK.

Networking: Many students create internships through networking.  The number one way of securing employment according to the NACE (National Association ofColleges and Employers) recent survey, networking involves talking to people about your area of interest.  The Career Center encourages students to contactalumni using the COACH (Count on Alumni for Career Help) program via MonsterTRAK, faculty, employers, family and friends to create internships throughnetworking.

Campus Events: Throughout the year the Career Center sponsors a variety of events; including fair (Internship, Career and Job); panels and open networkingevents.  Each is an opportunity for students to engage in conversation with employers about organizations and for possible internships.

Career Resource Library: Books, periodicals, videos and other reference materials are available in the Career Center Library to assist with your internship search.

Internships at St. John's: Credit or Non-Credit?

Whether an internship is paid or unpaid, with or withour credity, it offers you a wonderful learning experience.

Paid Internships:  In the case of non-credit or paid internship opportunities there are no specific academic requiremetns or qualifcations you must meet prior to accepting the internship.  You and the employer determine the job responsibilities and time commitment.  Students in any year (freshmen - senior) of their academic program at St. John's are encouraged to seek these opportunities.

Unpaid Internships:  The Career Center only posts internships that offer salary or stipend. Credit internships are handled through your academic department.

Preparing For Your Internship

• Begin your search for an internship several months in advance of the time you would like to start the internship. Application deadlines for many organizations are typically 3-6 months prior to the start date. Beginning early also puts you ahead of the majority of students who wait longer. 
• Internship opportunities are available for the Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer and occasionally may last longer than one semester. Some organizations offer salaries competitive with most part time jobs. 
• Research your field of interest to learn which companies/opportunities would be best for you to pursue. This research helps you write more targeted cover letters and better focus your resume toward your career goal. The Career Center can help you learn how to conduct this research, write an effective resume and compose cover letters that get noticed.
• Practice your interviewing skills by attending a workshop, reviewing interviewing tips, and conducting a mock interview.
• After the internship, write a thank you note to your supervisor. Ask for a letter of recommendation from one or more people with whom you worked closely.
• Don't underestimate the importance of, or lose contact with, the people you met during your internship, they can be of great help to you during your job search.

Be sure to check the Career Center's Internship Checklist.

During the Internship

Tips for Successful Interns - Basic Do's and Don'ts

• Do be punctual. Constant tardiness could be held against you.
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
• Do keep a daily journal or unofficial record of your assignments (for your eyes only), how you accomplished them, and what you learned. This will be useful in assessing what you have learned from your experience.
• Don’t play on the computer or make personal phone calls. Be sure that your cell phone is off - it may ring at the most inappropriate time.
• Do try to engross yourself in company material or information pertinent to current projects. Be alert and aware of new things that the company is trying to achieve and see if there is a way that you can be of assistance.
• Do understand the company culture, and dress and behave appropriately.
• Do steer clear from giving your opinion on politics and other sensitive issues. Office politics can be sticky!
• Don’t complain or slack off your assignments. You might feel like you are doing unimportant tasks, but if you work with a good attitude, you might eventually get bigger opportunities.
• Do take responsibility for your work, even if you make a mistake. Learn from your mistakes and demonstrate that to the person who will be evaluating you.
• Don’t take things personally. Assess the situation objectively. Furthermore, if you receive criticism, don’t get defensive. Know when to speak and when to listen.
• Do NETWORK. Professionals in a field of your interest surround you. Take initiative and try to learn as much about them as possible by asking or joining them for lunch. Talk to them about your interests and aspirations. Find someone within the organization with whom you may want to conduct your Informational Interview - you may find yourself a valuable mentor!
• Do get feedback and take interest in projects around you. This will help you understand how you are doing, and your interest might help you attain similar jobs.
• Do remember that the Career Center is to help.  Contact us at (718) 990-6375 on the Queens campus or (718) 390-4438 on the Staten Island campus if you have any questions.

After the Internship

• Talk to your supervisor about what you have achieved, and if possible, make a portfolio of the work you did so that you have concrete examples.
• Send a thank you letter to your sponsor and to other people at the organization who made a difference to your overall experience, and try to stay in touch with them on a regular basis. This will ensure your name does not fade away and it might come up for other job or networking opportunities.

Evaluating Your Internship Experience

Reflecting on your internship after you have done it can be as valuable as doing it to begin with. Here are some things for you to think about.

• Think about your skill development and actual examples of those skills.
• Evaluate what you liked and what you would like to change.
• Evaluate how the people and environment matched with your values.
• Evaluate how the internship helped to clarify your career goals.
• What networking contacts did you make?
• What did you observe professionals in your field doing?
• Does it make sense to follow up with an informational interview?
• What new insights do you have about the field/industry?
• What might you want to pursue in your next internship?

Now you are well on your way to being prepared for your next internship experience!

Next Steps After You Complete an Internship

Update your resume. Write down everything you did during your internship, all your duties and responsibilities. Make note of job functions or areas of expertise you were exposed to through your observations, even if you didn’t do those things yourself.

Bragging Rights! 

Report your internship to the Career Center so we can track student sites and experiences.  This information directly helps future internship development and hiring. 

Please provide us the following information and email us at careers@stjohns.edu

• Storm Card # or X #
• Campus
• Last Name
• First Name
• Email / Phone
• College / Degree
• Major
• Graduation Date
• Internship Site / Company Name
• Industry
• Credit or Salaried
• Supervisor
• Supervisor's Phone
• Supervisor's Email