It is never too early to start the search for an internship.
Even though you can’t register for an internship in your freshman year at Catholic University, experts encourage students to explore careers and interests in their freshman year.
Why so early?
It takes time to research the many facets of your career interests, your talents, your strengths and how they all come together in a career pathIdeally you should begin researching companies and specific internships in your sophomore year. You will likely need to apply 6 months to a year before you may actually start. It is always a good idea to apply for multiple positions as competition can be keen. Some application deadlines are a year before a start date. You will want to plan ahead and take the time to make an interest inventory of your experience and craft an engaging cover letter and informative resume that explains why these positions appeal to your interests, talents and goals.
Freshman Year
Begin by thinking about your career goals. Research career areas that interest you, positions and companies where you might like to work. Take the Focus 2 interest inventory and personality assessments to see how your career interests, values and personality align with each other.
Sophomore Year
I would suggest enrolling in SAS 102 “A working life” which helps students identify their talents, interests and how they relate to career exploration. Students will learn how to develop a resume and cover letters, search and apply for internships, prepare for job and internship searches. In addition, students will be given the opportunity for mock interviews, to develop multiple elevator speeches, and identify the skills and competencies they are mastering in the courses they are taking at Catholic University. Students will also learn how to organize their internship searches.
During your sophomore year you should begin researching companies, and searching for internships that align with your interests, career goals and academic program. Select a few student activities that will allow you to “give back” and develop planning, leadership, collaboration and communication skills. Begin documenting the companies that interest you, the internship requirements and deadlines. You should begin your internship search by identifying alumni in Cardinal Connect. with whom you may contact about an informational interview and begin to build your network of contacts. You should be applying for internships by the end of your sophomore year with the intention of enrolling in an internship your junior year and senior year. Focus on positions that are related to your career goals and pay close attention to the skills and competencies you will master as a result of your internship. Engage in career workshops at CACS, enroll in mock interview workshops and begin honing your cover letter and resume skills. You can consult the School of Arts and Sciences webpage for internships along with those listed on Handshake, Indeed and LinkedIn.
Junior Year
You should be applying to internships or enrolled in an internship course by your junior year. As you engage in your internship I would encourage you to start a journal where you can briefly note any STAR experiences ( Situation, Task, Action, Result) that allows you to document how you solved problems or challenges and what was the outcome or what changed as a result of your work. If you record these instances, you can use them for responses to behavioral questions in interviews, in elevator pitches while networking, in cover letters, and resumes. It is much easier to remember these instances if you write them down when they happen! In the internship course we practice how to use them in an elevator pitch.
In your junior year you should continue to hone your cover letter, resume writing and networking skills. Enroll in mock interview workshops and come to the Arts and Sciences Careers and Networking night. By enrolling in an internship course you can benefit from guidance on how to adjust to the organizational cultures, develop beneficial relationships with colleagues and supervisors, begin mentoring relationships, approach people for references, be an engaged and informed intern, navigate and learn from any challenges. This course will help you identify and label all that you are learning and the skills you are developing so you can effectively share your knowledge and experience in elevator pitches, interviews, cover letters and resumes. This course will allow you to become fully immersed in your internship and help you develop a plan of how you can apply your experience toward your next internship or full time position.
Senior Year
Students should be enrolled in an internship, and fully engaged in the experience. As you intern you should be setting goals for the knowledge and skills you want to develop and thinking of ways you can highlight these experiences in your applications for full time positions or graduate school. You should be attending the Arts and Sciences Career Networking evening with alumni and employers, career fairs and all the events sponsored by CACS that will prepare you to conduct a search for full time positions.
With any questions, please reach out to Dean O'Quinn at oquinnlr@cua.edu.
As you begin to apply for internships, please reach out to the Center for Academic and Career Success for assistance with the application process: https://success.catholic.edu/career-support/index.html