Welcome. . . Welcome to HGU Career Service Center. Wherever you are in your personal career development process, the resources that follow can help you take the next step. The Career Center hosts a variety of resources to assist you in your decision-making and exploration process. Whether you are exploring majors or career fields, developing a resume, or searching for an internship or job, we are here to offer guidance and support. Visit our office soon to learn how we can assist you.

1. Resumes
   • 1.11  Resume Types and Appearance
   • 1.12  Resume Components
   • 1.13  Accomplishment Statements
   • 1.14  Action Verb List
   • 1.15  Electronic Resumes
2. Cover Letters and Other Correspondence
   • 1.11  Basic Structure
   • 1.12  Other Correspondence: Thank-You Letter
3. Professional Social Etiquette
   • 1.11  I’ve been invited to an employer event, what should I expect?
   • 1.12  How do I talk to people I don’t know?
   • 1.13  How to make introductions.
   • 1.14  Dining with Success
4. Interview Preparation
   • 1.11  Preparing for the Interview
   • 1.12  Responding to Questions
   • 1.13  Sample Questions and Responses
   • 1.14  Interview Attire
   • 1.15  Closing the Interview and Follow Up
   • 1.16  Telephone or Group Interviews
5. Find an Internship
   • 1.11  FAQs
   • 1.12  Internships vs. Jobs
   • 1.13  What Makes an Internship Great?
   • 1.14  Co-op Program for Engineering Students
6. Career Resource Library

Prepare For Your Career
Whether you are searching for an internship or job, marketing yourself and preparing for the interview are keys to your success.

Resumes
One of your first goals in your internship or job search should be to equip yourself with the right marketing documents. Your resume is one of those essential tools. An employer may only spend 30 seconds scanning your resume. Make sure yours stands out.

Resume Types and Appearance

Resume Types

• CHRONOLOGICAL RESUME: This format organizes your experience in reverse chronological order. It is the most frequently used type of resume, is often recommended for students and recent college graduates, and is preferred by most employers.
• FUNCTIONAL RESUME: This format highlights your skill areas and emphasizes what you have done rather than when and where you did it. Often recommended for people who have very diverse work backgrounds or are changing careers. Work experience is included, but that section follows the function section. A pure functional resume is often viewed with suspicion by employers.
• COMBINATION RESUME: A hybrid version of the chronological and functional formats allows you to group your experience and skills by function, then list specific accomplishments in reverse chronological order. This format works best when you wish to highlight abilities not used in recent work experience. Employers are familiar with this type of resume.

Appearance

• Preferred font size is 10-12 point; your name should appear larger (14-16 point).
• Choose a natural tone paper; white or off-white is preferred.
• One page is strongly preferred by employers for students and recent graduates.
• Use standard fonts: Helvetica, Times, Palatino.
• Make effective use of spacing, margins, and bolding on your page.
• Emphasize points with bullets, UPPER CASE, bold, Italics, and underlining.
• Final copy should be laser printed.

Resume Components

Heading:

• Includes name, address, phone number and email address.
• Consider listing both current and permanent addresses.
• Include a professional e-mail address and check regularly.

Objective:

The objective gives employers a general idea about what type of position you’re looking for. They will read your resume looking for experience/skills that will support your objective. For career fairs, if you’re in the exploratory stage, you might want to leave off an objective.
 Example objective statements:

• An internship in the computer engineering field
• An entry-level position in bioscience laboratory environment
• Editorial Assistant within the publishing industry
• A marketing assistant position in the healthcare industry

Skill Highlights or Summary of Qualifications:

For undergraduate students, this is a chance to highlight computer, language, transferable skills, and personal traits. Graduate and more experienced professionals should have a longer Summary of Qualifications section. Bring these skills to the forefront of your resume if appropriate for the job you’re seeking to help employers easily recognize them and to make sure they’re scanned into an employer’s tracking system.

Education:

This section should follow the Objective and Skills sections of your resume if you’re an undergraduate student, or if you are a graduate student and it directly relates to the area of work you are trying to break into. Typically, GPA can be added if it is 3.0 or higher. Remember to add your study abroad experience to this section. Class projects could also be listed here as subsets, such as “Projects,” if you used or developed skills and experiences that are directly relevant to your Objective.

Experience:

Include the company/organization name, location (city and state), your dates of employment, and the job title. Bold the organization or the job title. Under each job, list accomplishment statements which should be powerful and succinct while demonstrating your skill and the end result. Quantify your results whenever possible by adding numbers and/or percentages. Always begin accomplishment statements with action verbs. Use present tense for your current job; use past tense for all other jobs.

Activities:

For each activity listed, follow a consistent format. Spell out acronyms. If there is an activity that you’re involved in, such as a fraternity, and you hold a position with many accomplishments, consider adding that to your Experience section instead. The activity section is optional.

Accomplishment Statements
An accomplishment statement highlights experience you have had in your work or volunteer activities where you were successful. It does not have to be a huge accomplishment, but it should show something that you are proud of while demonstrating that you can take action when situations arise. Employers like action-oriented people! An example could be the following:

• Coordinated a Walk for Breast Cancer that raised over $2K

The accomplishment statement is effective because it identifies the situation (need for funds), describes the task you undertook (Breast Cancer Walk), describes an action (coordinated), and describes a quantifiable result (raised over $2K).

To write an effective accomplishment statement, consider these phases: SITUATION, TASK, ACTION, and RESULT (STAR).

• PROBLEM or SITUATION: Identify the problem or situation that needed to be improved.
• TASK: Describe the task that you were responsible for--what was your role?
• ACTION: Describe the action you took and what skills you used to resolve the situation. (SEE LIST OF ACTION VERBS).
• RESULT: Describe the result or contribution you made to the situation. Whenever possible, quantify your result with a number.

Examples of other accomplishment statements:

• Spearheaded publicity and facilitated on campus meetings via advocacy actions such as letter writing and media activity.
• Completed an original research project that resulted in a report and presentation to the research scientists.
• Accurately entered confidential patient data.
• Wrote movie, theater, and restaurant reviews for the weekly student-run newspaper.
• Designed a homepage and electronic mail distribution list to make information on upcoming events more accessible; efforts resulted in a 20% increase in member participation at club events.
• Managed retail outlet and increased sales volume by 25% in first six months through promotions and marketing.
• Began as Sales Associate and was promoted to Assistant Manager after five months.
• Collaborate with on-campus organizations to organize collectively to educate the campus community about social justice issues.

Action Verb List

Electronic Resumes

As a 21st century job seeker, you must have an electronic resume ready to send at the click of a mouse. Attractive word-processed resumes are used for in-person meetings and often for e-mail attachments. Electronic resumes are used for web application and sometimes for inclusion in the body of an e-mail (always follow the employers’ instructions about format).

Below are the steps to follow when translating your word-processed resume to an electronic resume:

Step One: In your word-processed (Word, WordPerfect, etc.) document, save as text:

1. Choose “Save As” and change the type to “Plain Text”. In the subsequent dialog box, select the option to insert line breaks. A warning message will inform you that you will lose some formatting. Click “OK” or “Yes.”

Step Two: Open up your text document and clean it up:

1. Launch Notepad (PC) or SimpleText (Mac) and open your re-formatted text resume.
2. You’ll notice your resume looks very simple, and it probably needs some cleaning up.
3. Move any items that you may have had centered or tabbed to the left margin. All text should be flush left and there should be NO tabs in your text. On a PC, “Plain Text” does not remove all the tabs, so you will have some manual adjustments to make.
4. The first thing you will probably need to reformat is your heading. Make sure your name, address, phone and e-mail all appear on separate lines.
5. Make sure all headings are on separate lines with a blank line before and after. You may make the headings all CAPS if they are not already. This ensures a computer program can easily identify each section of your resume and store the data appropriately.
6. You might consider capitalizing (ALL CAPS) any items that you may have previously had bolded or italicized.
7. You will note that bullets have been replaced by asterisks (*). As you read through the text, make sure the bullets are still identifiable as such and have not run together.

Step Three: Make sure your resume is e-friendly:

• Practice sending your text resume in an e-mail to yourself and to a friend who uses a different email service to make sure you’ve completely cleaned it up and it looks professional.
• If possible, submit your resume on a web site and make sure it is computer friendly, although in most cases you will not be able to do this as a “practice run.”

Cover Letters

The content of your cover letter will make an important first impression since it is often the initial contact between you and the employer. A good letter will complement and selectively expand upon your resume. It should highlight your strongest qualifications and how they match what the employer seeks. Adding accomplishment statements would be appropriate. You may want to develop a general format, but it is critical that you prepare a personalized copy of your letter for each employer.

Basic Structure and Content of a Cover Letter:

Your street address
City, State, Zip Code
Phone number/E-mail


Date

Title
Company/Organization Name
Street Address
City, State, Zip Code

Dear Mr., Ms., Dr. ______________: (Avoid using “To Whom It MayConcern” or “Dear Sir/Madam.” Consider using “Dear Hiring Manager.”)
Opening Paragraph: Announce the purpose of your letter and provide the reader with a compelling reason to read on. Indicate what you want and who you are. State the reason for writing, naming the position or type of work for which you are applying. Identify how you heard of the opening or how the employer’s name was obtained (e.g., “Dr. Smith in the Sociology Department at Santa Clara University recommended that I contact you”). If you aren’t able to use someone else’s name as an introduction, leverage your knowledge about and enthusiasm for this particular organization.

Body Paragraph(s): What can you offer to the employer? Describe your strongest qualifications that match the position requirements. A description of significant accomplishments can be made, but the resume should not be repeated any more than is absolutely necessary. Basically, you are emphasizing your key qualifications, selling yourself, and elaborating on background areas that will attract aspecific employer for the specific field of work or job in which you’re interested. Refer the employer to your resume and again emphasize your career objective.

Closing Paragraph: Assert your confidence that you are qualified for the position (e.g., “I believe that my skills and experience make me an excellent match for this position”). State your next step, whether it’s to make the statement that you will call to follow up on your letter (demonstrates your initiative and follow-through as well as helping you maintain some control of your efforts), or that you look forward to the opportunity to discuss your qualifications in detail at their convenience. Thank the person receiving your letter for his/her time and interest.

(Your signature)
Your name

Enclosure

Other Correspondence
Several other types of correspondence are needed during the job or internship search process. You should send a thank-you letter after any professional contact has been made. You might also wish to write an acceptance letter after an offer has been extended or a letter declining the job offer if you choose not to accept the position.
Thank-You Letter
Whether you are writing to express your appreciation for being given a job interview or an informational interview, a thank-you letter is essential in your job search. You should write and mail the letter the same day of your interview or meeting, and your letter should be brief and personalized. Keep in mind the following:

• Express your appreciation for the time and consideration given to you by the interviewer.
• Emphasize significant information that might not have been shared during the interview. Restate ideas or examples you shared in the interview that were well received. This helps the interviewer remember you.
• Check grammar and spelling. Your letter is additional evidence of your communication and writing ability.
• Reiterate your interest in the position! Tell them specifically what impressed you about the position and organization.

It’s important to consider the type of letter you write. An e-mailed letter will get to the intended person very quickly, especially if the recipient uses e-mail extensively. However, a handwritten or typed mailed letter is more personal and can create more of a connection. As an applicant seeking employment, you need to get a feel of how the interviewer typically communicates. Certain industries are more “high tech” than others and in researching the organization, you should be aware of the nature of the organization and the method of communicating that would be most effective. If mailing, use a laser-printed letter on resume- quality paper or write your note on a simple note card.

Professional Social Etiquette
Your behavior during meals and receptions can advance, or halt, your candidacy for a job. Take a look at the following common sense tips that will serve you well in your job search and in life.

I’ve been invited to an employer event, what should I expect?

• RSVP whether you are able to attend or not.
• Do not cancel without a good reason.
• Be on time; ten minutes early is better than ten minutes late.
• Dress with care; clarify appropriate attire.
• Place your nametag on the upper right side of your clothing, toward your shoulder.
• Turn off your cell phone or pager so it will not interrupt the conversation.
• The person who invites, pays the bill. However, be generous in spirit and offer to pay if no one else offers.

Always send a thank-you note within 1-2 days.

How do I talk to people I don’t know?

• Go first; be the one to start the conversation. Share a piece of news such as a new movie, book, or restaurant.
• Look for a shared or common interest such as hobbies, sports or places you’ve traveled on vacation.
• Learn to discuss many topics, including those that do not interest you.
• Be a good listener; ask open-ended questions.
• Avoid controversial or unsuitable subjects.
• Tell jokes sparingly and only if they are appropriate.
• Don’t gossip.
• Smile.
• Don’t repeat, preach, or ramble.
• If all else fails, bring up the weather.

How to make introductions.

• When making introductions: Remember this rule: Look at and say the name of the most “important” person first. For example, “Mr. CEO, I would like you to meet Mr. Junior Executive.” The order of the most important person is as follows: clients/ customers, senior executives, junior executives. If you are at an employer-sponsored social event and you’re introducing a friend/student that you know to the hiring manager of the organization, you would treat the hiring manager as the VIP.
• Introducing yourself: If you are not immediately introduced, you should introduce yourself as promptly as is decently appropriate. When you are giving your title or describing a major, don’t abbreviate. For example, people off campus may not know what “OMIS” stands for, so say the words.
• Responding to introductions: If seated, rise and be prepared to shake hands. Make eye contact with a handshake and smile. Make some brief and friendly statement such as how you know of them, “Hello,” or “Nice to meet you.”

Tips for dining with success.

• Place your napkin on your lap immediately as you are seated; if you need to rise during the meal, place your napkin on your chair, not on the table.
• Silverware is used from the outside in.
• Once a utensil is used, it should not rest on the table again.
• When resting a knife on your plate, the blade of the knife should always face you and be placed at the top of the plate.
• If you drop a utensil on the floor, ignore it; if it is obstructing a walkway, use your foot to move it out of the way.
• Keep purses, briefcases, cell phones, keys, etc., off the table. Turn off your phones and pagers.
• The bread and butter plate is placed to the left of the dinner plate and beverages are placed to the right.
• Break bread into two pieces and then into bite-sized pieces; each piece should be buttered and then eaten individually.
• Sugar packets should be opened and remain in one piece. Fold the empty sugar packet in half and place it underneath the service plate or the bread plate.
• Food, condiments, and other items are always passed in a counter-clockwise direction around the table.
• Salt and pepper shakers always travel in a pair. Do not salt and/or pepper your food prior to tasting.
• If you spill a drink, use your napkin to protect yourself and then ask the waitstaff for assistance.
• Do not start to eat before your host/hostess begins unless you are told to do so.

Interview Preparation

Preparing for the Interview
Know Yourself

Knowing yourself will enable you to be more successful in the interviewing process. Ask yourself the following:

• In what kind of environment do I work best?
• What are my career goals in five years? Ten years?
• How could this job help me work towards those goals?
• What are my strengths and weaknesses?
• What are the most important things about me for this job?

Know the Employer

• Research the employer and the position prior to your first interview.
• Be able to answer the question, “What can I do for this organization?”
• Make sure the employer understands that you are the kind of person who will contribute to the organization once you understand the demands of the workplace and your role within it.
• See if you can identify three values the employer embraces.
• Think honestly about why you would like to be a part of this organization.  
• Develop stories that draw from your background and demonstrate your exposure and mastery of the employer’s values.

Practice, Practice, Practice

• Develop your interview skills through practice.
• Just like preparing for a class presentation, preparing for an interview involves either talking out loud to yourself, in front of the mirror or to a friend who is willing to provide you with honest feedback.
• Practicing your responses helps to decrease anxiety.

Responding to Questions
The following are commonly asked questions during initial interviews. Put some thought into how you will approach these questions if asked.

• Tell me about yourself.
• How would you describe yourself?
• What motivates you to put forth your greatest effort?
• What are your short-term and long-term goals?
• What are your greatest strengths and weaknesses?
• What recent achievement are you most proud of?
• What do you think you would like in this particular job?
• Do you think your grades are a good indication of your academic abilities?
• How would you respond to a team member who wasn’t pulling his weight on a group project?
• What have you done that shows initiative and willingness to work?
• Pretend I’m your boss and I just told you the project you just turned in was not at all what I was looking for. How would you respond?
• Tell me about a situation in which you could not meet your goals. How did you handle it?
• Where do you see yourself 5 years from now?
• What do you know about our organization?
• Why are you interested in working for our company?
• How do you feel you will add value to our organization?

Sample Questions and Responses
STAR Technique: When answering an interview question, tell your story and give examples. Review the sample questions below. Try formulating your personal answers to these questions using this formula to create examples of your accomplishments or contributions: be a STAR.

• First, describe the Situation in detail by giving the overall context.
• Second, describe the Task that you were responsible for – what was your role?
• Third, what Action did you take to resolve the situation?
• Finally, what was the end Result of the action that you took?

By subscribing to the STAR formula and practicing out loud, your answers should present themselves clearly, succinctly, powerfully and positively.  
Question: Can you tell me a little about yourself?
Your approach: This is your chance to make a confident first impression and help establish a direction for the rest of the interview. If you are able, highlight information that is relevant to the employer or tie your academic background to a particular field: “I decided to major in Finance because it offered a wide range of courses related to analysis and quantification of results. In my current internship, I have been able to put these skills to use in various projects working with vendors and purchasing contracts.” 

Question: How does your background fit the position I am hiring for?
Your approach: “I believe my talents, academic training and applied experience are an excellent fit with this position because...” Think about it. Your primary goal in the interview is to help the employer see the fit between you and the position. As you explain your skills and background, continually emphasize the connection to the job. For example, “Through my job in retail, I became very detail-oriented as I organized merchandise and weekly scheduling. I know your position requires lots of attention to detail, and my past experiences and organizational skills make me well qualified. I am very interested in putting my skills to use in this position.”


Question: Can you tell me about a time you worked hard to accomplish something?
Your approach: Organize your thoughts before you speak. Make your point and give examples: “One example is my current internship. I had to work extremely hard in the beginning to establish myself as a competent professional who could take on advanced responsibilities. At first, my employer viewed me as a student worker who just made copies, until I took it upon myself to create an updated database of key clients. This project was a huge undertaking, but I executed it well and as a result, was offered tasks with more responsibilities.” Summarize points and restate the question: “The experience in my internship was definitely a situation in which I had to work hard for something. I learned the value of taking initiative and the importance of creating my own opportunities.”
Question: How well do you handle pressure?
Your approach: People remember ideas through stories, not lists. Don’t just say, “I perform well under pressure.” Instead, tell the employer how you organized and executed something successfully within time constraints. The more vivid specifics you include, without getting overly detailed, the more memorable you will be to the employer.
Question: What are your weaknesses?
Your approach: An employer wants you to give a realistic picture of your abilities in a persuasive manner. Be positive when discussing weaknesses as well, because they can always be viewed also as potential assets. Explain how you have either overcome a weakness, are working on it, or have used it as a strength. For example, “When I first started in my advertising internship, my desire to avoid conflict was a real problem. I sought out a mentor to coach me on ways to deal with conflict situations and I’ve now become much more effective in this area.”
Question: What are your salary expectations?
Your approach: You have a couple of options. You may turn the question around and ask what the hiring range is for the position. Another option is to let the employer know that while money is important, it’s more important for you to learn more about the organization and the position in order to determine if you have a good fit. After you learn more about the opportunity, you will feel more prepared to answer that question.

Interview Attire
Make a professional first impression and take what you wear to the interview seriously. How you look is just as important as what you say.

Each industry has its own dress code. Be sure to research the organization culture before the interview. More formal attire is typical for an interview. The level of formality you project shows that you understand the importance of the situation and respect the person you are meeting.

General Tips

• Wear the more conservative suit. You should always look polished and professional. If unsure, err on the side of being overdressed.
• Clothing should fit well and be clean and pressed.
• Natural fabrics such as wool and cotton wear well and look best.
• Jeans and tennis shoes are not at all appropriate regardless of what might be acceptable once hired.
• Keep jewelry to a minimum.
• Have neat, well-kept fingernails.
• Need a breath mint?
• It is recommended that no fragrances (perfume, cologne, etc.) be worn.
• Sport your best haircut, smile, be clean-shaven, make direct eye contact, and have a firm handshake.

For Men

• Dark colors such as navy blue, black and dark gray are best.
• Wear dark, well-polished shoes.
• Wear dark, over-the-calf socks.
• Wear a conservative tie (more vibrant colors may be appropriate for marketing or retail positions).
• Belt should match or complement the shoes you select.
• A dress watch is better than a big sport watch.
• Save the hats for the game.

For Women

• Pant suits or skirt suits in black, blue and dark gray are best.
• Wear dark, low, well-polished heels or other closed-toe shoes.
• Keep hemlines at the knee or lower and avoid plunging necklines.
• Pantyhose should be of neutral color or plain in style.
• Blouses are best in solid colors and of natural fabrics (cotton and silk).
• Avoid bright colors (red may be appropriate, depending on the employer).
• Nail polish should either be worn well or not at all (no half on & half off and stick with clear or french).
• Go easy on the makeup.

Closing the Interview and Follow Up
The Final Moments
Always prepare questions to ask the employer at the end of the interview that show you have done your homework and are interested in the job. Ask questions in such a way that indicates that you know something about the employer. Although you should think of your own questions based on your research and curiosity, here are some sample questions to help you get started:

• What are the most important traits an individual needs to have to be a success in this organization?
• What is one of the first ways I will contribute to the organization in this position?
• How would you describe your management style?
• Will I have client contact? If so, what kind of responsibility will I have?
• How is job performance measured?
• What are the problems I will face and try to solve in this position? (Hint: The more time you can focus the employer on this topic, the more time you can devote to making a match with your qualifications.)
• How do you see my qualifications in terms of your needs?
• What are some of the challenges/issues this organization faces?

Don’t forget to ask for the job! Your final question should ALWAYS be, “what is the next step in the interviewing process?” After the employer responds (e.g. "We will be getting back to candidates next Wednesday"), you have the perfect opportunity to say, “I’ve really appreciated your time today. Thanks for giving me the chance to share my background with you and to learn more about your opportunity. I am enthusiastic about the job and feel I would be an asset to your organization. I’d like the chance to work with you and hope to hear from you next Wednesday.”

Following-up After the Interview
It is essential to follow up after the interview by promptly sending a thank-you note to all the parties with whom you interviewed. Be sure to send the note within 24 hours of your meeting and strongly consider sending the note via e-mail, to ensure it reaches the employer quickly.
If you don’t hear anything from the interviewer within the timeframe given during the interview, you may call and inquire about the status of the hiring decision. Maintaining a positive, professional demeanor throughout the hiring process will help you be the person the employer keeps in mind for future opportunities.

Telephone or Group Interviews
Occasionally, employers will utilize phone or group interviews as part of the interview process. For a phone interview, be prepared with your resume, notes, questions, a pen, and water readily accessible. Be sure you won’t be interrupted. Stay calm and smile. To add energy, stand up or sit forward. 

For a group interview, where there may be several people in the room interviewing you at once, try to relax and smile. Ask for business cards before you begin, or at least write down names and titles to help you answer each question taking into consideration each person’s role. When answering a question, begin by making eye contact with the person who asked the question, then make eye contact with the rest of the group during the answer, and end by looking at the person who asked the question.

Find an Internship
Learn the basics about internships, tools and tips to conduct an effective search, and making the most of your internship experience.

Questions? Please contact:
  Emailto: [email protected]

Frequently Asked Questions

What is an Internship?
Internships are meaningful learning experiences that engage you in the process of thinking and performing as a professional.
Internships are opportunities for professional development, achieving technical skills, and mastering a professional knowledge base.
They are planned, structured, supervised experiences that enable you to develop skills for organizing information and solving routine problems as is expected of practicing professionals in your discipline.

Communication, teamwork, and leadership skills are given the chance to be tested and honed within an employment setting.

Why is an internship so important?
An internship provides you with an opportunity to get to know a career from the inside. It allows you to work side-by-side with professionals in your discipline and to learn about what this type of career is like from their perspective.
You are able to directly observe what skills and personal attributes are needed for the profession, how analytical and problem-solving skills are used to face challenges and resolve them, what it is like to manage daily priorities and meet deadlines, and how professionals create a balance between their individual tasks and their responsibilities as a team member.
Internships also serve as a screening function for employers since internships often lead to full-time employment after graduation. A good deal of time and resources are dedicated to training an intern. Ideally, if there is a good fit between the intern and the organization, the intern will receive be converted to a full-time hire and the employer will benefit from a return on the investment it has already put into the intern’s training.

How does it add value to my resume?
It cannot be overemphasized how much internships strengthen your resume with “relevant experience.” Employers often review numerous resumes for one opening. Those who have relevant experience as determined by one, two, or three internships will make the first cut and move forward in the screening process.

There is no question that your internship experience enables you to compete with others applying for the position. How effectively you compete and how successful you are in landing an interview depends on your ability to identify, articulate, and market the skills and training you received as professional qualifications for the position you are seeking.

Are internships required?

May I receive credit for an internship
A few majors require an internship as part of the academic curriculum. Each department has certain requirements that must be completed in order to receive credit. A faculty advisor may provide on-going monitoring of the internship including reading assignments, a term report, or doing a critical analysis of a project. You may also be asked to keep a journal to help you reflect on what you've learned from your internship experience.
For most majors, academic credit is not required to do an internship – it's an option. For more information on doing an internship for academic credit, please check with your faculty advisor.

Keep in mind that it is easier and less expensive for you to earn credit for an internship during the academic year rather than during the summer. During the year your internship units are included in your tuition fees for the quarter. During the summer you will need to pay the per unit tuition rate.

Will my internship be paid?
The majority of internships offered to HerGuan University students are paid. Hourly wages for interns vary according to the student’s experience, academic level, and the particular field or discipline of the internship.
Unpaid internships also have value for students as long as the duties and responsibilities, learning objectives and outcomes, and commitment to supervision are of the highest quality.
While some employers are forced to offer unpaid internships due to limited financial resources, they are encouraged to limit the hours required for unpaid internships so that students may concurrently have a part-time job or internship which is paid. This enables you to earn money to defray the costs of tuition. However, a 40-hour-per-week unpaid summer internship may offer so much value to you because of the unique experience involved that you choose to accept it.

What do students typically earn in paid internships?
The average pay rate for most undergraduate internships is $10-14 an hour, sometimes higher for technical students, finance/accounting majors, or for students with extensive work experience.
However, compensation doesn't always come in the form of a weekly paycheck. Some employers offer a stipend (a "lump sum”) at the end of the internship as a reward for your hard work. Some enterprising employers offer terrific perks – work-related travel (all expenses paid), breakfast with the CEO, catered lunches, holiday parties, etc.
But regardless of the pay and perks, it is always important to keep in mind that an internship is a valuable experience in itself. Many students working in non-paying internships have agreed that the experience and lessons learned were more valuable than a paycheck.

I need to get a Hold harmless Agreement signed. Where do I go for that?
Faculty, staff, and other representatives of HerGuan University are not at liberty to sign Hold Harmless Agreements. The few employers who request these documents will need to make an exception to this custom when recruiting HerGuan students.
Please contact, for additional information about these documents and refer employers  for assistance.

How can I turn my internship into a full-time position?
An internship may serve as your passport to future employment opportunities. Getting your foot in the door by landing the internship is only half of the challenge in turning your career dreams into reality. The more vital half is that you build a good reputation during this career experience that will culminate in receiving a full-time job offer.
A growing number of employers think of internships as a three-month interview, a way to gain a first in-depth look at prospective employees. In this respect, both you and your employer have a common goal –- namely, to determine if there is a good fit between you.

Internships vs. Jobs 
Knowing how to differentiate an internship from a part-time job is critical to ensuring that you receive a quality learning experience with measurable outcomes – the professional competencies that add value to what you have to offer.
What is an Internship?

• Internships are meaningful learning experiences that engage you in the process of thinking and performing as a professional.
• Internships are opportunities for professional development, achieving technical skills, and mastering a professional knowledge base.
• They are planned, structured, supervised experiences that enable you to develop skills for organizing information and solving routine problems as is expected of practicing professionals in your discipline.
• Communication, teamwork, and leadership skills are given the chance to be tested and honed within an employment setting.
• Interns are supervised by a professional (trained in the same discipline as the internship) who routinely use a professional level of knowledge, skills, and judgement.

How Do Internships and Co-ops Differ from Jobs?

• Internship experiences differ from jobs primarily in this emphasis on learning and professional development.
• While every job has its share of tedious work, it is not appropriate for an intern to be assigned to routine tasks (clerical work, data entry, telephone calling) for more than 20% of the time.
• While this may meet an employer’s staffing needs, it does not foster the level of professional training that is expected of an internship or co-op experience.

What Makes an Internship Great?
Know what to look for in an internship and how asking the right questions will help you determine if this internship will meet your goals and expectations.
It is a quality opportunity that challenges you to work above your current skill level:

• An established program, committed resources, and an involved supervisor or mentor.
• Exposure to various departments and/or functions (e.g., the opportunity to attend staff or client meetings).
• A "start to finish" project and a resulting product (a report, a paper, a presentation).
• An opportunity to be considered for a full-time, professional position at graduation.

Ensure your internship will provide you with a quality learning experience by asking for a description of the intern duties and responsibilities before you agree to accept the position.
Ask specific questions about what you will be doing and learning:

• What sort of training and supervision will be provided?
• Is there an opportunity to work on any special projects?
• What career-specific skills can I expect to learn from this internship?
• Are there any clerical tasks involved? If so, what percentage of my time will be on them?

Co-op Program for Engineering Students
Engineering students who are gaining practical experience in industry or government may have their internships earn credit. This is an optional program that provides alternate or parallel periods of college education with professional training.
What is Cooperative Education?
The purpose of the Cooperative Education Program is to offer engineering students the opportunity to integrate classroom work with practical industrial experience. Cooperative education is not a job, but actually part of a student’s academic program which links classroom learning to workplace experience in industry or government. 
It provides a planned, structured experience with the expectation for supervision and mentoring, measurable learning outcomes and performance reviews, special training programs, contact with senior engineers and professionals of other disciplines, exposure to various functions within a corporate or government setting, and opportunities for professional development.

Eligibility Requirements

• Engineering major
• Completion of 90 quarter units for undergraduates or 30 units for graduate students
• Minimum GPA of 2.5 for undergraduates or 3.0 for graduate students
• Must be a full-time student the quarter preceding the Co-op assignment
• Must be currently enrolled as a student at Santa Clara University
• Not concurrently working as a Teaching Assistant

F-1 Visa Students

• Must be enrolled as a full-time student for nine consecutive months and currently have F-1 status

Full-time vs. Part-time
F-1 Visa Students

• Part-time is considered to be no less than 15 and no more than 20 hours per week.
• Full-time is considered to be 21 or more hours per week.
• Graduate students are allowed a maximum of 9 months in full-time co-ops.

Citizens and Permanent Residents

• Part-time is considered to be no less than 15 and no more than 29 hours per week.
• Full-time is considered to be 30 or more hours per week.

Academic Credit
One Unit

• One semester (10 weeks) or three months of full-time participation.
• Two semesters (20 weeks) or six months of part-time participation.

Two Units

• Two semesters (20 weeks) or six months of full-time participation.

Pass/No Pass Credit for these units is given upon satisfactory completion of a Final Report on the co-op assignment.
Units for co-ops do not count toward the completion of a master's degree for graduate students.

Career Resource Library