Pumpkins, turkeys, Christmas trees and internship applications - 'tis the season to apply.
As students prepare for the holidays and winter break, Dixie Crase, director of academic internships at the University of Memphis, said now is a good time for students to think about applying for internships. Many internships have a November deadline, but she said "some organizations and agencies might not realize they need an intern until February."
Crase said even if the deadline for a particular internship has passed, it's no reason to give up on applying for it. Though, starting early is the best option.
"The idea of starting in advance of the deadline is because you have time to review and revise your application material before you send it," she said.
For instance, Crase said, if an internship application requires an official transcript and students begin early enough, they have time for the University to send the document, which could take three to five days.
"You might miss out on an internship opportunity if you don't start early enough," she said.
When students begin to apply for internships with any organization or agency, they should take time not only to review all of the guidelines for the application but to go online and research the company offering the internship, Crase said.
"Look at their goals and objectives," she said. "Highlight some of your skills and expertise so that when you present your application, you're helping that organization or agency by showing them what you can bring to the table. You're saying, this is the reason you want me for your organization because these are skills I have and this is what you need."
According to Collegeplus.org, in 2008 companies hired 70 percent of their interns as full-time employees, compared to 2009 when just 14 percent of college seniors who did not have internships before graduating had a job after graduation.
There are on-campus services and tools for students searching for internships including the Career Services center in 400 Wilder Tower and the eRecruiting Network, a website where job and career opportunities are posted.
Jackie Webb, senior administrative secretary for Career Services, said all U of M students should have an account in the eRecruiting Network and that if they don't they can be added by a Career Services representative.
The system has been at the U of M since at least 2004 and as of Tuesday, there were 22 internships and 104 job postings available. The system is updated daily.
Webb said it seems that many companies begin planning their internship programs at the beginning of the year.
"The deadlines usually vary but a lot of them are before the end of the spring semester," she said. "There are jobs available in various fields."
There are also national and local employers linked to the eRecruiting, meaning they can post jobs and internships into the system in addition to the opportunities posted by Career Services. Some of those companies are FedEx, Medtronics and International Paper.
