There is no time like the present to begin looking for internship opportunities
by Monica Everett, posted Feb. 24, 2010
“Ideally, what do you want to do after Mizzou, and what are you going to do while you are at Mizzou to increase your chances of that happening?” Stephanie Chipman, the College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources career services director, routinely asks students this daunting question at the beginning of their search for an internship. Answering it is the first step on a long and forked road to finding the perfect internship that will ultimately lead to success after graduation.
Many students turn to traditional career fairs or HireMizzouTigers.com (http://www.hiremizzoutigers.com/) for internships, but more advanced or tailored positions might come from alternative methods. Chipman encourages students to look not only for advertised internships, but also to design their own by researching a company and proposing an intern position.
If students do choose to go the traditional route, Chipman said they should focus on doing it effectively. She said that sometimes students take too much of a passive approach to career fairs. Students who are unsure of exactly what they want to do often fall into what Chipman calls a “scatter-gun approach.” These students will bring a mechanically free, although not compelling, resume to the career fair and give it to everyone in hopes of securing any internship instead of a specific one. Chipman said that even if students are not set on a career path they could still take a more active approach that will yield more gratifying results.
“Be articulate about, not the position you want, but the qualities you want in that job, Chipman said. “You might not be able to say ‘I want to work as a public relations director someday, but you should be able to say ‘I love to write; I also enjoy talking in front of people. I see myself in a position where I would influence the company’s brand. I looked at your marketing internship and I think it might be a good experience, what do you think?’”
Effective networking is critical to receiving an internship. Kate Hangley, an agri-business management junior, was able to secure a prestigious position as the sole intern in Monsanto’s government affairs office in Washington, D.C., next summer due to her continued connections with the company after her first internship in the sales department.
“Nothing is more important to a company than investing in human capital, so, if you do an outstanding job, that company should do everything in its power to keep you with them,” Hangley said.
When a Monsanto recruiter offered her another sales job, Hangley requested a switch and after three interviews and months of waiting, she landed her upcoming government internship, where she hopes to influence climate control policy.
Jasmine Frieson, another agri-business management junior, used networking to find an internship closer to home — through the College of Agriculture. After working in the program and establishing faculty connections as a freshman and sophomore, Frieson was offered a multi-cultural intern position. Many students might picture a stereotypical summer internship far from home, but campus internships are a viable, convenient alternative. Campus internships are available during the academic year, and familiar faces and procedures help to ease interns into a new situation.
Before her campus internship, Frieson was an intern at the United States Department of Agriculture. The most difficult part of interning there was “being immersed in something new,” she said. “Sometimes you feel out of the loop because you don’t have as much experience. You might feel a little lost or confused or afraid to ask questions.”
This chaos, however, is just part of the process. Eric Gibson, a general agriculture junior, interned as an agronomy scout in summer 2009 through Vision Ag LLC/ Farmer's Co-op Association in Iowa. He echoed Frieson’s sentiments that the internship experience can be overwhelming and emphasized the importance of asking questions.
“Everyone knows you’re there to learn,” he said.
Whether working in fields or in government offices, there’s no question in Chipman’s mind that internships are beneficial, especially now with fewer positions and more people seeking them, she said. Prior experience through internships will improve graduates’ chance in the job market, even if it is not directly related to their field of interest. Any experience can be seen as relevant if presented properly.
“Be ready to talk about transferable skills,” said Chipman. “Even if you’ve worked at McDonalds’s … relate what you’ve done to show that you’re detail oriented. As opposed to saying that you cleaned the place, share instead that you were consistently complimented for being meticulous in cleaning and all tasks.”
Frieson is relying on transferrable skills that she is gaining now to help her in the future.
“The internship I have now has really prepared me to have better skills as far as presentation and communication and working with other people, so that will be helpful in any job I get,” she said.
Internships while still in school are also helpful on a more personal level.
“Internships can confirm career goals — or not,” said Chipman. “It gives students a better idea of where they want to go.”
Hangley hopes her upcoming position in Washington, D.C., will help aid in choosing her career path.
“This is exactly the kind of job I want after I graduate, except with an international focus,” she said. “However, I say this now but my mind could change quickly after this summer depending on how I enjoy my [internship].”
With so many opportunities and ways to go about finding a fitting internship, the process can seem overwhelming. There is one piece of advice, however, that applies to all intern hopefuls: get started.
Students should be starting their search “right now,” Chipman said. “You have an awesome advantage if you’re looking far in advance.”
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