Internship Essentials

Agenda• Why do an Internship?• What is an internship?• Paid Internship• Unpaid Internship• For-Credit Internship• Other Experiences Opportunities• How to find an Internship?• Internship Search• Interview Tips• Recognize a Shady Internship• How to be successful

Why do an Internship?

• According to a NACE 2014 survey:

– 96.9% of employers plan to hire students with internship experience

– Recruiting new hires is the primary focus of internship programs by 77.6% of employers

– Employers made full-time offers to 64.8% of their interns last year

Why do an Internship?

• What price have you paid for your education?• How will the value you place on yourself now

affect your worth in the future?• What does working for free do to your

industry and the others in it?• What about your peers who can’t afford to

work for free?

Why do an Internship?• Types of Skills:– Work-Content Skills- WHAT you can do– Transferable Skills- HOW you do things– Self-Management Skills- WHO you are

Why do an Internship?Benefits of doing an internship:1. Learn about the world of work2. Industry knowledge3. Decide if this is the right career for you4. Apply classroom knowledge in a practical setting5. Gain work experience6. Develop / build skills7. Have an edge in the job market8. Networking opportunities9. References10. Gain confidence

What is an internship?• “An internship is a form of experiential learning that

integrates knowledge and theory learned in the classroom with practical application and skills development in a professional setting. Internships give students the opportunity to gain valuable applied experience and make connections in professional fields they are considering for career paths; and give employers the opportunity to guide and evaluate talent.”—NACE

What is an internship?

• There are 3 approaches to an internship you should consider:– Paid– Unpaid– For credit

Paid Internship• According to a NACE 2014 survey:– Employers reported that 97.5% of their internships would be paid in 2014– The average hourly wage

for interns at the bachelor’s degree level is $16.35

– The average hourly wage for interns at a master’s degree level is $22.50

Unpaid Internship

• Unpaid internships can be just as fulfilling as paid internships; the U.S. Department of Labor actually ensures that.

• If a for-profit organization hosts an intern without offering monetary compensation, then they must provide a proper learning experience to the intern.

Unpaid Internship

• These 6 criteria must be met to determine a worthwhile learning experience for an intern:

1-The internship, even though it includes actual operation of the facilities of the employer, is similar to training which would be given in an educational environment; 2-The internship experience is for the benefit of the intern;

Unpaid Internship

3-The intern does not displace regular employees, but works under close supervision of existing staff; 4-The employer that provides the training derives no immediate advantage from the activities of the intern; and on occasion its operations may actually be impeded;

Unpaid Internship

5-The intern is not necessarily entitled to a job at the conclusion of the internship; and 6-The employer and the intern understand that the intern is not entitled to wages for the time spent in the internship.

Unpaid Internship

• These requirements exist to ensure that there is no overlapping relationship under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA); in other words, the Department of Labor is ensuring that no unpaid interns are being taken advantage of by being treated more like an employee, when they are not, as opposed to being treated as an intern.

• The student must be getting the most value out of the relationship.

Unpaid Internship

• Which is why:– If an employer uses interns as substitutes for regular

workers or to augment its existing workforce during specific time periods, these interns should be paid at least the minimum wage and overtime compensation for hours worked over forty in a workweek.

– If the employer would have hired additional employees or required existing staff to work additional hours had the interns not performed the work, then the interns will be viewed as employees and entitled compensation under the FLSA.

Unpaid Internship• CCAD also considers the NACE’s requirements for internships, as

they are more personally defined to tailor to a quality learning experience.

1-The experience must be an extension of the classroom: a learning experience that provides for applying the knowledge gained in the classroom. It must not be simply to advance the operations of the employer or be the work that a regular employee would routinely perform. 2-The skills or knowledge learned must be transferable to other employment settings. 3-The experience has a defined beginning and end, and a job description with desired qualifications.

Unpaid Internship4-There are clearly defined learning objectives/goals related to the professional goals of the student’s academic coursework. 5-There is supervision by a professional with expertise and educational and/or professional background in the field of the experience. 6-There is routine feedback by the experienced supervisor. 7-There are resources, equipment, and facilities provided by the host employer that support learning objectives/goals.

For-Credit Internship

Required: • Industrial Design• Interior Design

Required with Options: • Advertising &

Graphic Design• Fashion Design• Illustration

Studio/Art Elective: • Animation• Fine Arts• Media Studies• Photography

For-Credit Internship

• Completing an internship can be done for credit for both paid and unpaid internships, students merely need to ensure they fulfill the following criteria:– Internships must be directly related to student’s current major.– Internship providers must provide an assigned

mentor/supervisor.– The student must work a minimum of 240 hours at the

internship site. “Virtual” experiences are not internships.– The student must work over a 16 week period. (In special

circumstances, a 12-week period will be considered.)

For-Credit Internship

– Internships are a class; therefore, specific learning objectives must be in place. The student and the employer must work together to create appropriate learning objectives.

– The student must maintain at least a 2.0 GPA.– The student understands that she/he is a representative of

CCAD and will conduct herself/himself professionally.– An intern may be terminated at any time. If asked to leave

a position, the student agrees to do so with in a calm, professional manner and inform the course instructor within 3 business days.

For-Credit Internship

– The student is responsible for completing all required course assignments.

– If the internship credit is applied during a term of less than fulltime enrollment, the student pays for each internship credit.

For-Credit Internship– Career Services recognizes that not all internships start and

end on dates perfectly aligning with academic semesters.• If an internship will begin before the midterm of a semester, students

may request credit during that semester by getting approval from the Internship 485 instructor prior to the add deadline of that semester. Students should schedule an appointment with the instructor for review in such circumstances.

• If an internship will begin after the midterm of a semester, students may request credit for the following semester by getting approval from the Internship 485 instructor prior to the start of the internship.

• Internships that continue after a semester’s end still need closure for course credit. Students should meet with their internship supervisor to request feedback and formal evaluation prior to the evaluation’s due date.

Other Experience Opportunities

• Volunteer Work• Co-op• Part-time Job

How to Find an Internship

1st Stage: No job opening but employers are always looking for good people.

2nd Stage: The need is clear, the insiders know; but no action has been taken.

3rd Stage: Job now open. Referrals desired and applications being accepted.

4th Stage: Advertisement appears online or in print, open for all to apply.

How to Find an Internship

• Be professional in all communications• Have goals in mind for the internship• Submit • Resume• Cover letter (state hopeful goals)• Portfolio/Samples

• Interview with the supervisor• Bring all your submitted materials with you

• Send a thank you note

How to Find an Internship

Agencies of Interest• wk.com • saatchi.com• goodbysilverstein.com• leoburnett.us• cpbgroup.com• hugeinc.com

Design Studios of Interest• interbrand.com• freerange.com• celerydesign.com

Design Directories• core77.com• us.firmlist.com • designguide.com • Chamber of commerce

Interview Tips

• Do research and know the company

• Be enthusiastic and show your openness to new opportunities

and challenges

• Be prepared to talk about class projects and your academics

• Have some personal goals in mind for the internship

• Ask questions about what aspects of the company you can

experience

Recognize a Shady Internship• It promises quick money and lots of it. If it sounds too good to be true

—it is.• It’s a small organization you can’t find a website for.• The employer advertises its “internships” with flyers on campus.• It’s a sales-related job and the pay is based on commission.• The employer doesn’t inquire about your experience, background, or

career interests to see if you’re a good fit for the position.• You get vague answers to questions about the work you’d be doing.• The offices are in a questionable location, such as a warehouse area

or a person’s home.• The employer doesn’t ask you to complete a job application before

making you an offer.http://www.internshipprograms.com/how-to-identify-a-shady-internship/

How to be Successful

• Set personal goals

• Have regular meetings with your supervisor

• Look for ways to be a leader

• Find projects with tangible/observable outcomes

• Ask lots of questions

• Immerse yourself

• Take initiative

How to be Successful

• Start building your professional reputation

• Maintain a positive attitude and be professional

• Seek a mentor

• Leave with strong professional references

• Keep track of your accomplishments

• Leave on a positive note