The tradition stems from the medical profession. “Webster’s New Word Dictionary’s” first definition of an intern is a doctor serving an apprenticeship as a hospital resident.
Other professions found that recent graduates, most often from college and sometimes high school, were eager to expand their knowledge and skills about a profession over a set time frame.
While medical interns and others of generations past may have earned nothing or little for their time and work, today’s interns often find themselves in a win)win situation. Opportunities are plentiful and in many cases money is available, making it harder for observers to differentiate among internships, summer or part**time jobs and cooperative school/work experiences.
Most career counselors define an internship as an chance that offers a learning component related to a student’s academic interests or future job prospects. In contrast, a summer or part-time job may be in a nonrelated profession such as a day camp or restaurant. A cooperative job typically involves some component of work that alternates with school over a longer period.
The benefit of an internship, even if the pay is low or nonexistent, is that it provides the chance to gain an in depth look at a career and to refine networking skills.
“The student isn’t there just to do a job and satisfy company needs but master new skills and learn,” says Marianne Ehrlich Green, assistant director of the Career Services Center at the University of Delaware and author of “Internship Success” (NTC/Contemporary Publishing Co., $12.95).
FastWeb Co., a Skokie based company that helps students on-line find a job and get into college, hires summer interns whose functions range from writing for its Web site to researching a business plan, says Laureen Grieve, vice president.
Joyce Gioia also enjoys teaching interns at her Greensboro, N.C., management consulting firm, The Herman Group. “When I first started working, interns represented cheap labor, but as my company has become more successful, they’re integral help,” she said.
At the same time, interns may have to do some gal or guy Friday work such as photocopying and answering phones, but their main focus is on learning about a specific field, says Sherry Waldrep, director of career services at Wheaton College in Wheaton.
In certain professions, the internship remains critical to entry into a full-time job. To earn a CPA degree in Illinois, accounting candidates must participate in a formal internship program at the end of college, says Kenneth S. Pinsky, partner and head of recruiting at Warady & Davis LLP in Deerfield. “They get to do everything an employee does, such as prepare tax returns,” he says.
The best employers take mentoring seriously. Chicago architect Allan J. Grant hires interns when his firm’s workload requires another person but he doesn’t want to make a permanent commitment in case firm work decreases.
In numerous instances, an internship provides a certain cachet or status that can lead to a permanent job. “I always ask potential employees whether they’ve had an internship or similar work experience,” says Grant.
Some job experts like Green make the point that work experience is useful, including volunteerism or shadowing if they relate to a chosen field. Mimi Collins, communications director of the National Association of Colleges and Employers in Bethlehem, Pa., agrees and says which route should depend on the course of study, whether it’s accounting or journalism, for example.
But if an internship is the direction you think best, following are some questions to ask:
“How do I find the best internship?”
There is no single route and fortunately, there’s a lot of help available. Many professionals and career counselors suggest starting with a college’s career counseling department, which typically gathers together opportunities from numerous companies and non-profits. Many list internships by profession or geographic area.
You can get help from a variety of books, and Web sites can provide leads. Take a look at internshipPrograms.com, summerjobs.com, fastweb.com, fastwork.com and monster.com.
“When should I look?”
Ideally in the fall of a school year rather than before the end since many top jobs get taken early. Potential hirees should ask about responsibilities since they should get to do more than stuff envelopes, though that kind of task may fall to them. “Ask what percentage of time you have to spend on such assignments,” says Waldrep.
Adds her husband, Lee, assistant dean of academic affairs at the College of Architecture, Illinois Institute of Technology: “Don’t rush to take the first job that comes your way. You want to find the right size company and best place to gain skills. A job search may take as much as five to 10 hours a week,” he says.
“What helps land an internship?”
Although so much communication is done via the Internet, a traditional printed resume and cover letter are critical.
If you know of an opportunity or are terribly interested in a specific company, send a letter via the U.S. mail that spells out your interests and qualifications. Be sure to write to a specific person such as the head of human resources or a certain department in which you’re interested. Tailor your pitch to that company.
“We want to know what someone would get out of working for us,” says Bradley James, an account manager at MarketAbility Inc., a book publicity and promotion firm in Golden, Colo.
If you don’t hear back in a week, follow up with a call. If you secure an interview and the company seems interested, wait until you’re close to getting a job to discuss pay. Always write a thank-you note after an interview.
“What’s necessary to succeed?”
A willingness to be flexible about work to be done, realistic expectations of the work you’ll get to do, self-motivation, a good attitude and good communication skills. “When you start, you’re an apprentice and you won’t be running the show,” says John A. Challenger of Chicago outplacement specialists Challenger, Gray & Christmas.
Speak up, however, if assignments aren’t interesting or present problems, but wait a bit, says James.
Become a detective. Green says to read correspondence you type and listen carefully when answering the phone. “You can learn a lot about clients or customers who interact with the company, ” she says.
In the last days of your internship, expect or ask for a formal evaluation from your supervisor, Green says. The session or report gives you a chance to reflect on your experience, including your strengths, shortcomings and contributions.
“Should you have the same internship more than once?”
Experts don’t always agree about working more than once at the same company. Challenger thinks different internships are a great way to test-drive work environments, while Green says an advantage to going back is the chance to expand responsibilities.
Jami Radcliff, a junior at Colorado State University, had an internship in public relations and marketing at MarketAbility and may want to work there long-term, but is considering an internship in advertising. “I’d like to try different things before I settle on my career field,” she says.
“Will an internship lead to a permanent offer?”
Through a class she teaches, Green says she has found that about 40 percent of her students each year are offered permanent jobs after an internship. April Pendleton, a student at the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, who is working toward a degree in marketing after having earned one in English, found that her skills helped her turn an internship at Gioia’s company into a job even before she completes her degree. “Once I started, the company found I had additional skills they could use rather than outsource,” she says.
Sometimes even when there seems to be no permanent job, a company may create an opportunity for a great candidate. “If we have an incredible intern, we will look for an opportunity with us or with another company with similar needs,” James says.
