CSU-SB CG 2024-25 DM Accessible - Flipbook - Page 14
Internships
College years are a prime time to explore professional and community experiences. By participating in
internships or service-learning projects with businesses, government agencies, or nonprofts, you can gain
valuable work skills, build a network of professional contacts, and apply what you learn in the classroom to realworld settings.
What is an internship?
An internship is a temporary, structured learning experience ofered by companies or organizations prior to
graduation for students to gain practical work experience in a specifc feld. It is a chance to apply what you
have learned in school to real-world situations, develop new skills, and build connections within your industry.
Internships can be paid or unpaid, but the primary beneft is the experience you gain, which can give you a head
start in your career.
Should I do an unpaid internship?
While internships are a proven way to launch your career, NACE strongly discourages unpaid ones. NACE
recommends all internships be paid to level the playing feld and create a more diverse workforce. Additionally,
research shows that students with paid internships get more job ofers and higher salaries. For example, the
NACE 2022 Student Survey of four-year college students shows that paid interns averaged 1.61 job ofers, while
unpaid interns averaged 0.94 ofers, and students with no internship experience received 0.77 ofers.
Benefits of an Internship
" Develop skills that employers are seeking and grow
as a professional.
" Confrm or explore feld, industry, and functional
area interest.
" Apply knowledge, skills, and concepts learned in the
classroom to real world situations.
" Build relationships and create a professional
network, a source for mentors and recommenders.
" NACE has consistently found that 50% to 60% of
eligible interns convert to full-time employees
and are retained at higher rates than other hires,
with 75% still with the organization after their frst
year on the job compared to 52% of non-intern
employees.
Timeline for Internships
Timelines can vary by company, industry, and job
function. Make sure you check application open dates on
the company website/Handshake, follow the company
on social media so you will be notifed when it opens,
and reach out to the recruiter for the company to learn
more details. General guidelines include:
• At least four to eight months prior- Prepare
applications, cover letters, and resumes. Be on the
lookout for those open dates! If you will receive units
for your internship, start exploring what is needed
from the department issuing the academic credit at
CSUSB.
• Three months prior- Applications tend to open about
this time. Check Handshake, company websites, social
media, etc., for openings.
• Two months prior- Continue to complete
applications; interviews may be conducted during
this time in-person or virtually using autonomous
interviewing systems, or Zoom.
Internships focus on learning and skill development,
typically lasting a semester or summer. They may be paid • One month prior- Ofers will be extended; be
or unpaid and may or may not be done for academic
prepared to know the location and pay range and to
credit. The primary beneft is the experience gained,
balance the pros and cons of multiple ofers.
giving you a head start in your career.
• Start your internship! Ensure all paperwork is
completed forms are fnalized if doing the internship
for academic credit, and be ready to engage.
Typically, internships are for students who will be in
school during the internship or who will continue in
college for at least one semester after the conclusion of
Scan to Learn
the internship. Very few internships will accommodate
NACE internships best
students not returning to school. Internships are
practices
available for students from frst-year to graduate
students, with the highest priority of completing one
between junior and senior year.
How is an internship
different than a job?
Who can do an internship?
14 | Career Guide
