Internships

Looking for Success? Find it With an Internship!

As you continue to work toward earning your degree and setting goals for the future, gaining practical work experience through an internship will provide you with a multitude of advantages when entering the professional world. Most employers prefer to hire students who have had previous internship experience or those students who interned directly for them. Acquiring an internship while you are an undergraduate student is an ever-increasing component to the educational experience. Internships provide you with varied work experiences and offer a wide range of professional opportunities. By being a proactive student who actively seeks out internships you will not only gain knowledge, but also vital work experience.

What are the benefits of an internship?

Explore a possible career.
Gain an understanding of a professional work environment.
Put your academic theory from the classroom into practice.
Get an inside view of a company or organization.
Learn the language and nuances of a particular industry.
Increase your confidence by becoming a more proficient and skilled worker.
Utilize networking skills to foster strong professional connections and references.
Build a strong resume and interviewing skills.

When can I intern?

The Career Center recommends that students begin planning for the internship process early in their academic careers as freshmen and sophomores. Internships generally are offered in the fall, spring and summer. Students should have a suggested minimum of one internship during their college career, but more if possible.

What types of internships are available?

The Career Center posts many different types of internships in a wide variety of fields for students. Internships may be paid, unpaid or for credit. Internships vary according to industry and organization.

For Credit Internships – Many internships may meet eligibility requirements for you to earn academic credit through either your major department, the Off-Campus Education Office, or the Study Abroad Office. Internship descriptions must be supplied to one of these offices to qualify for credit. Please check with your major department for internship guidelines and requirements:

Non-Credit Internships – Some internships do not require academic credit, or a student may not wish to earn academic credit. When participating in a non-credit internship, students may then be compensated with a salary, stipend, or travel reimbursement. Or, an internship may be unpaid but offers a wide variety of career opportunities and a beneficial learning experience.

How can The Career Center help me find an internship?

The Pride Career Management System (Pride-CMS) – The Career Center’s online database, accessed through the MyApps feature of the Hofstra portal, receives daily internship postings from a variety of employers nationally and internationally.
Internships.com – The largest database in the world focused solely on internships with thousands of active listings, the link is available through Pride-CMS.
Pride Recruiting ─ The Career Center’s on-campus interview program that brings employers and first-round interviews to campus.
Hofstra.edu/career – Our website offers a variety of suggested internship search links through the Suggested Websites page.
The Career Center Job and Internship Fairs – A variety of fairs are offered throughout the year to give students the opportunity to meet employers and apply for internships.
Information Sessions – The Career Center hosts organizations, throughout the semester, looking to promote their opportunities .

How can I get started with the internship process?

Make an appointment to meet with a career counselor at The Career Center to discuss your needs.
Visit your department’s chairperson or internship coordinator, the Off-Campus Education Office, or the Study Abroad Office.
Attend an Internship Orientation workshop through The Career Center.
Attend your academic department’s events.
View a Resume Writing Webshop and have your resume critiqued during The Career Center’s Quick Question walk-in hours.
Attend an Interview To Impress workshop and participate in Employer Mock Interviews at The Career Center.

Student Success Stories!

Kristen Maldonado

Major: Broadcast Journalism; Minor: Drama, December 2012
Internships: TheCelebrityCafe.com, Micah Jesse, News 12 Long Island

“The Career Center offers so many opportunities to help you get the job of your dreams. The Job and Internship Fairs they hostevery semester bring to campus some of the biggest and best companies in the country who specifically want to hire Hofstra students because of the real-world experiences our classes give us. The Career Center has helped meperfect my resume and cover letter, ensuring that my best experience and most impressive qualities come through. The best part about The Career Center is that their support and advice don’t end after one visit – they are just as excited as you are to hear about what companies get back to you! Their help has prepared me for the future and given me confidence that I will be able to get the career I want when I graduate.”

Jonathan Kissoon

Majors: Marketing and Management, May 2012
Internships: New York Life Insurance, Office of Congressman Anthony Weiner, Pepsi, NBC Universal

“The Career Center really guided me throughout the whole process of finding an internship. I wasn’t really aware of what I needed to do and how to go about finding an internship. I went to a counselor to help me fix my resume and make it presentable to companies andrecruiters. The Career Center always kept me up to date with what opportunities were available, and I took advantage of all the events that they hosted where they brought professionals from all different fields to give advice to students. My advice ... use The Career Center as much as you can because itreally can make a big difference in the internship search.”

Michelle Calderon

Major: Biology; Minors: Marketing and Chemistry, December 2012
Internships: Franklin Hospital, Long Island Jewish Hospital

“The Career Center is a great resource when looking to obtain job or internship experience. They reviewed my resume and offeredconstructive criticism in order to strengthen it. Mock interviews are especially important as they give you a ‘pre-interview’ experience that is similar to the real interview, which I found very useful. The Career Center is always there to help students improve their chances of becoming selected for jobs or internships. Students would be foolish not to visit The Career Center before applying anywhere!”