Five Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's) About Internships for MBA

nternships are work-related learning experiences that provide an opportunity for students, new graduates, and career changers to gain important knowledge and skills in a career related field.

1. When's a Good Time to Begin Looking for Internships?

It's important to allow enough time to locate and apply for good internships. Internships in career fields such as finance, government, publishing, etc., often have application deadlines for summer, as early as November. It's advisable to begin looking approximately four months prior to when you actually plan on doing the internship, even longer for many opportunities for summer. Many students begin doing internships during the summer following their first year of college. This gives them the opportunity to complete several different internships and a chance to learn more about various career options available as well as a way to gain additional knowledge and skills.

2. How Can I Find a Good Internship?

Working with a career counselor at your college; speaking with friends, family and faculty; networking with college alumni; reviewing career resources (books and online); checking out the classified ads to prospect for potential employers; and conducting informational interviews with alumni or professionals in the field are all excellent ways to begin looking for internships.

3. What Kinds of Internships are Available?

Internships are available in a wide variety of fields from both the private and not-for-profit sectors of the job market. Internships may be paid or unpaid, for credit or not-for-credit, and may be pursued spring, summer, or fall. Internships are considered any opportunity where you are able to train and get relevant work experience in a particular job or career field. Volunteer work can also be considered a form of internship, since you are getting exposure to working in a nonprofit work environment which is usually quite different from working in an organization for profit.

4. What's the Benefit of Doing an Internship for Credit?

There are many rewarding and worthwhile internships available and some of these can be linked directly with college coursework. Working directly with an onsite supervisor and a faculty sponsor can provide a rich learning experience that includes additional reading, writing, etc., related to the internship in addition to the experiential learning that takes place on the job each day. Internships for credit are listed on a college transcript and count towards the total number of credits required to complete a college degree. However, it is not necessary to do an internship for credit for it to be considered a valuable experience and it is not usually stated if it was completed for credit or not when included on the resume.

5. What's the Difference Between Credit Internships and Non-Credit Internships?

To receive credit for an internship, students will need to complete a minimum number of hours working at the internship site. It's important to check out the internship guidelines of the college prior to planning on doing an internship for credit. Students must meet specific criteria designated by a faculty member who will also act as their internship sponsor. Faculty will usually assign additional assignments to go along with the actual internship experience, such as a: journal, paper, and/or presentation that will help the student process the experience.