Finding an Internship

If you are looking for an internship while at the University of Portland, make sure to utilize Handshake. This is a platform that has an internship/job board curated for UP students.  

While online internship/job boards are a great resource, it is also important to keep in mind that most opportunities are never posted (some 80%). This guide on creating your own internship has some helpful tips and email templates for reaching out to employers to inquire about internships.  

If you are struggling to connect with professionals in your industry/company/location of interest, we strongly recommend you look at our resources on Networking/Informational Interviews and schedule an appointment with the Career Education Center via Handshake.   

Questions to Consider 

Ahead of and during your search, you may want to ask yourself some of the following questions: What do I want to learn? What skills do I want to develop? What industries or job functions would I like to explore? What subject areas would I like to learn more about? Where do I want to live? Do I have friends or family in other cities where I could stay if I want to broaden my geographical search? What can I afford (paid or unpaid internship)? Answering these questions will help guide your search towards meaningful, professional experiences that match your skills, interests and values. 

Begin Your Search Early 

It may take several months to find the right internship for you. Many internship programs have deadlines as early as fall for the following summer. It's never too soon to start looking! Some positions might require specific coursework or year in school. Don't let that discourage you. Take note of those requirements and make yourself more competitive by participating in student organizations, community engagement or on-campus employment, and apply next year! 

Resources 

As you are searching, here are a variety of resources that you may find useful: 

• Internship Search Strategies Quick Guide: an overview to help you get started 
• Internship & Action Plan: a more comprehensive guide with step-by-step resources and worksheets to help you through each part of the outreach and application process  
• Finding a Quality Internship: what to look for when evaluating an internship opportunity, and what to avoid 
• International Internship Guide: overview of international internship options at UP and considerations such as academic requirements and travel insurance 
• Employer with Early Career Talent Programs: a list of 1,000+ organizations you might want to look into if you are searching for an internship

For more information on this topic, be sure to check out the UP Career Readiness Guide and the Career Resource Library. 

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