Is your student studying abroad next year?

Is Your Student Studying Abroad Next Year?

Part 1: How to search for an internship during the junior year
Part 2: Assume your student will want to return abroad

By Beth Feine, Assistant Director of Career Services

Part 1: How to search for an internship during the junior year, when the student is abroad

Your student is about to embark on an experience of a lifetime – spending four or five months abroad. During this wonderful opportunity, students also need to keep in mind that they need to conduct an internship search for Summer 2008.

Employers, grad schools, and volunteer programs (like the Peace Corps) have come to expect that college students will have at least one related experience (e.g., internship, undergraduate research, or volunteering) completed by the time they graduate. For most students, this experience is gained during the summer between the junior and senior years.

The internship search process begins earlier than you might think. Organizations will be on campus to interview students for Summer 2008 internships starting in early October 2007. Many undergraduate research opportunities also have Fall 2007 deadlines.

For Students Studying Abroad Fall 2007

Students studying abroad during the fall will have time to interview during the spring semester. However, because many organizations search for interns in the fall, students will want to be in contact with employers and apply for internships via email while still abroad. Employers may want to interview students studying abroad over the phone, or they may schedule an interview when the student is back in the States. Some things to keep in mind:

• Before studying abroad, your student should have an updated résumé, and know how to write cover letters and other professional correspondence (e.g., Thank you letters).
• Students should be aware of the major Fall 2007 career events and the employers interviewing on campus. For example, the majority of accounting and finance employers are on campus only in the fall. Also, your student may not be able to attend the Government Fair in late October, but he or she still has access to all the employers represented at the fair, and can contact recruiters via e-mail. Students can view events (and apply for internships) on E-Link.

For Students Studying Abroad Spring 2008

These students need to have a Summer 2008 internship/research position lined up by December 2007 – before going abroad! Discourage your students from waiting until April or May to search for an internship. A large portion of employers are no longer looking to fill internship positions late in the academic year. Tips for students who will be abroad in the spring:

• Students should network to become introduced to organizations. Your student will also need to actively work for interviews before departure since some deadlines won’t match his or her schedule. Students can use their current network of people they know, or they may want to use the CANE files to search for alumni who work at a specific organization.
• As soon as possible your student should have an updated résumé, and know how to write cover letters and other professional correspondence (e.g., Thank you letters).
• Students can enhance their interviewing skills by taking part in a practice interview and by reading more about interviewing on our website.
• Students should stay aware of the major Fall 2007 career events and the employers interviewing on campus. Student can view these events (and apply for internships) on E-Link.

Part 2: Assume your student will want to return abroad

Assume that your student will want to return abroad, and encourage her or him to take on this mindset as well. Many students who have studied abroad come to Career Services during their senior year to discuss returning abroad to work, study, or volunteer after graduation. The trouble is, most students do not take the time to network and become connected to the local region while abroad. Then, when they decide to look for a job in a foreign country, they have no ties to employers or professionals in the region.

Encourage your student to take the following steps. If she or he decides to return abroad, these steps will make the path much smoother.

• Network while abroad. Students may contact CSB|SJU alumni who live in the area and arrange to meet with them. They can also go out of their way to meet locals, students from the vicinity, faculty from an area university, and/or professionals who work in a field of interest.
• Volunteer (e.g., teach, work in a clinic, assist with a community garden) to enhance the experience within another culture. Sometimes regulations exist that prohibit foreign students from working in another country, but volunteers are almost always welcome!
• Visit companies/organizations to learn more about interning/working abroad.  Take the time to identify U.S. based organizations that have a center of operations in the host country.
• Utilize resources (e.g., Going Global on Career Services homepage) to learn about the career process for other countries.

Career Counselors are available throughout the summer to answer questions and assist your student in the internship search and/or creating a plan to build a network abroad. With a little planning ahead, your student can leverage his or her time abroad and continue the path to success!

Visit Career Services online!