Find an Internship
Internships help you gain hands-on experience, explore career options, and strengthen your professional network. Whether earning academic credit or gaining experience outside the classroom, Career Development can guide you through every step — from finding opportunities to finalizing approval and reflecting on what you learn.
For-Credit Internships
Internships are three-credit courses with a classroom component and a work component. Some are paid, depending on the organization’s internship policies.
Requirements
In order to qualify for an internship, you must meet the following criteria:
- Minimum Junior status
- Minimum GPA 2.5
- Course prerequisites in your major (Check with your Academic Program Manager)
- Maximum 6 credits of internships toward earning a bachelor’s degree
- Internship in your major
- Transportation between school/home and internship site
Apply for Eligibility
- Fill out the Internship Eligibility Form
Similar to a full-time job search, begin by creating a clear plan.
Define 2–3 target industries or roles. Use the O*NET Interest Profiler to explore options aligned with your strengths and interests.
Decide early on whether you want credit, preferred locations, or remote options.
Use both approaches:
Traditional Search: Apply to posted internships on Handshake, employer websites, and trusted job boards.
Proactive Search: Connect with faculty, alumni, and professionals to uncover opportunities before they’re listed.
General Internship Platforms
- Handshake — https://joinhandshake.com/
- The Forage — https://www.theforage.com/
- LinkedIn Jobs — https://www.linkedin.com/jobs/
- Indeed — https://www.indeed.com/
- Parker Dewey (Micro-Internships) — https://www.parkerdewey.com/
- Idealist (Nonprofit/Social Impact) — https://www.idealist.org/
- USAJobs Student & Recent Grad Programs — https://www.usajobs.gov/
- Local/Regional: Apply one semester ahead (e.g., September for spring).
- Competitive/Corporate Programs: Apply 6–12 months ahead (finance, tech, media, large companies).
Before applying, ensure your materials clearly communicate your readiness and interests.
- Tailor your resume to each internship’s required skills.
- Create a simple cover letter template you can adapt quickly.
- Update LinkedIn and Handshake with your latest projects, coursework, and achievements.
- Build a small portfolio (even 3–5 class projects is enough for many fields).
Internships vary widely, but employers consistently look for:
- Reliability and professional communication
- Basic technical or industry-specific skills
- Ability to learn quickly
- Initiative and willingness to ask questions
- Experience from coursework, student clubs, projects, or part-time jobs
Evaluate an internship by reviewing:
- Supervisor availability and mentorship
- Project clarity (what you’ll actually do)
- Learning outcomes
- Schedule and workload
- Pay/stipend
- Whether it meets for-credit guidelines (if applicable)
Red flags include:
- Requests for upfront fees
- “Work from home” jobs with vague duties
- Asking for SSN or bank info before hiring
- No company website or verifiable contact
- Gmail/Hotmail recruiter emails
Report anything suspicious in Handshake directly to the Career Development team.
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The views, opinions, and content expressed on this webpage are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Post University. Post University does not endorse any specific views or details expressed herein. The purpose of this content is to provide general information to the reader, and as such, this information may not directly relate to programs offered by Post University. Please note that jobs and/or career outcomes highlighted in this content do not reflect jobs or career outcomes expected or guaranteed from enrolling in or graduating from any Post program. Obtaining a job can be due to a variety of factors, not just education, but may also include personal skills, job experience, examinations, background checks, etc.
