Part 1: Searching

Getting an internship is one of the most powerful things you can do during your undergraduate career to set yourself apart in the job search. Ben Wurzel, an Arts and Sciences Career Advisor, chatted with CU professional experiences expert, Dylan Mark, to bring you high impact practices for landing an internship or professional work experience during your time at CU. 

• Act. Don't overwhelm yourself with too many options. Find internships that appeal to you and start applying. Dylan recommends 50 as a solid starting number. 

• Work smarter, not harder. Set up a saved search so that you don't have to redo searches and constantly log into job boards. You can also upload your resume into Handshake and employers can contact you directly. 

• Create good searches. The job search can be a frustrating process when sourcing opportunities utilizing vague terms. One example is that many students will search by major automatically. This can pull a wide range of results. Instead, search by job function or industry to find positions that align best with your interests.

• Look in the right places. Handshake has thousands of internships. 47% of internships listed in Handshake in Colorado right now don't have applicants. LinkedIn and Indeed will have more opportunities, but remember, these job boards are open and accessible to all students meaning you must compete with more students for positions. Plus, Handshake has jobs and internships that will never end up on national or international platforms. Many local companies choose to only post to CU Boulder or just a couple schools which increases your odds of getting a position.

And there you have it, the top advice from Dylan for securing your first internship. Please reach out to Career Services for assistance with the internship search process. We can help you with resumes, cover letters, utilizing Handshake, interviewing, and more!