Applying for an Internship
Resumes
You will need a resume to send to a potential employer during your internship search, and to hand to an employer at the start of an interview.
If you have never written a resume before (or even if you have) we are here to help you.
We can help you get started, proofread your resume, or consult with you about your draft. We also offer resume writing workshops. More about resumes
In general, we urge you to write your resume without the use of a template; you will be happier with the result, and it will be easier for you to revise as time goes on.
Cover Letters
In most cases, you will need a cover letter during your internship search. This means not just one cover letter, but a separately written cover letter for each internship. More about cover letters
Interviewing
You will probably need to go on at least one interview for each internship, and possibly more. In some organizations you will interview with someone from human resources as well as someone from the area in which you will be working, possibly your future internship supervisor. These interviews might take place on the same day, or on separate days.
While the interviewer will certainly be asking you questions, this is also an opportunity for you to ask questions that will assist you in deciding whether or not to accept the internship if it is offered. Interviewers will expect you to ask questions; it demonstrates your level of interest in the company and in the position. Just be sure to listen well during the interview, and don’t ask something that has already been directly covered, or is available from information you already have. It is OK to ask questions for clarification purposes, however, if you are unsure. Generally, your turn to ask questions will come later in the interview.
Questions you might ask, things you will probably want to know:
- What will my responsibilities and tasks entail; will there be projects I can work on alone or with others?
- What are you (the employer) looking for in an intern?
- I am very interested in working on… gaining experience with… Will I get a chance to do that here?
- Will I be assigned to one department, or will I be working in various departments?
- Where will the internship be located? (If it is not clear due to multiple corporate offices, etc.)
- What has been your experience with past interns? What has made them successful?
- Who will my supervisor(s) be? How often will we meet to review my work?
- What are the working hours and time commitment, and (if part-time) how flexible will the schedule be?
- Will there be any pay or stipend? (You might already know this from the job posting.)
- What is the end date for this internship?
- Are there any special requirements in connection with the work? (Think about on-call requirements, overtime hours, out-of-pocket expenses, lots of moving, lifting, standing, etc?)
Following each interview, be sure to send the interviewer a thank you note (by email or regular mail), expressing your appreciation for their time and the opportunity to interview, and reiterating your interest in the position. If you can, reference something from the interview that particularly caught your interest and how you can contribute to the job or organization.