How to Sample College Internships

Do you wish you could sample a lot of college internships before you have to decide on which ones to apply for?

You can research through the web and you can read books on internships—but that's a lot like shopping online for yarn. Very convenient way to survey the options but you miss feeling the texture of the yarn.

Ways to sample internships:

• 1 Ask for a tour or attend an open house.
  
• 2 Volunteer for a special event at the site.
• 3 Best of all: take classes that require field work or observation of sites. (These commonly require just 15 or 20 hours of time in the field.) Plan ahead to locate several internship sites you would like to preview and then propose those sites to your professor for the field observation assignments. In 15 hours, you'll see the best and the worst of a site and know if it's the right fit for you for a much longer internship.
  

The content on this blog is not offered as legal advice or guidance. Consult your college, advisor, or internship supervisor for help with issues surrounding internships. © 2009 Mary Bold, PhD, CFLE. Dr. Bold is a co-author of the book Reflections: Preparing for your Practicum or Internship, geared to college interns in the child, education, and family fields. More about Dr. Bold can be learned at www.marybold.com