Plan on looking for full-time employment after you graduate from Penn State or want some real-life experience relating to your major? Almost all employers want valuable experience listed on your resumé before you are considered for a position. That valuable experience is often desired in the form of an internship.
Penn State wants to help you build your resumé, build your connections and build you experience in your field.
1. Your Penn State Microsoft Outlook Account
Do you ever get annoyed with the number of emails being sent to your Outlook account? You may be shocked to learn that they can actually be super helpful. Start looking at each and every email you receive because some include internship opportunities. More specifically, these emails, sent to you from your academic college at Penn State, detail internships related to your area of study. In fact, most companies looking for interns are often linked to Penn State through alumni. Since Penn State has the largest alumni network in the world, you can imagine how many opportunities there are for internships. Stop dumping every email in your trash folder and start reading them because one could provide the big break you have been looking for.
2. Clubs and Organizations
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Get involved: two words anyone will say to you regarding every single aspect of Penn State. Putting yourself out there, taking a risk and meeting new people are all things associated with student clubs and organizations at Penn State and life after college. In terms of internships, getting involved with any club or organization on campus will help build your resumé, make connections and gain valuable experience no matter what the purpose of the activity is. You never know just who you are going to meet when getting involved in a club or organization or what connections those people can have. The point is, getting involved in clubs and organizations at Penn State is crucial with regards to securing an internship because not only can the club itself introduce you to internship opportunities, but you can also put that involvement experience on your resumé to add some bling to it.
3. Professors and advisors
Working hard in class and talking with your professors, advisors or any other mentor at Penn State goes a longer way than you may think. Your professors have valuable experience and connections in whatever their field of study may be, which benefits each student they connect with. Working hard in class and building strong relationships with your professors in your field of study could give you the opportunity to get internships based on their connections and recommendations. College and club advisors also provide information regarding internships in their own unique way. The advisors in every academic college can provide you with information regarding companies who want interns with your skillset and experience. Club advisors also receive internship availabilities and are most likely looking to hire someone from that specific club (which is why it is important to get involved). Keep working hard in class and be sure to seek guidance from Penn State employees. These are the connections that can help you secure an internship and even a job in the future.
4. Alumni
With over 174,000 active members, Penn State has the largest alumni association in the world. If you take a look at the emails regarding internships in your Outlook account, most are sent to the academic colleges by Penn State alumni who are looking for students to intern at their workplace. Making connections with alumni can lead to great opportunities for internships and eventually full-time jobs. They have been in your shoes. They know how crucial it is to develop skills through hands-on learning provided by internships. You can make connections with alumni by going to alumni hosted events on campus (check your email for these as well) and simply just talking to your fellow classmates too. The large network of alumni can provide you with so many resources and opportunities for internships. Check your email, go to events, interact with them and make the valuable connections.
5. Career Fairs
You see advertisements for them all over campus and in your inbox almost weekly. Almost every employer and company present at career fairs are looking to hire interns that are still learning skills at the college level and have the hunger to get better as well as build their resume. Some of these career fairs are so large that they fill up the entire floor of the Bryce Jordan Center. Not only does Penn State have general career fairs for all students, but each academic college for the most part has its own career fair throughout the year as well. A more specialized environment can help you make a better connection with employers looking to hire interns in your field. When you prepare to attend a career fair, make sure you are dressed to impress (business professional) and you have copies of your resume with you to hand out to employers. While you may not land an interview, invite or position right off the bat, going to career fairs and talking with professionals helps get your name out into the real world.
It’s evident that Penn State wants to give all of its students the best possible chance to get a well-paying job and a prosperous future. By providing multiple outlets and resources for students to get internships and experience, the University gives students all the tools they need to build a strong resume and skill set. The ball is in your court to take advantage of these opportunities in order to build yourself a future.
