The first #Honorsproblems post of the semester is written by Kevin Frey, a senior in CCAS and SMPA majoring in journalism and mass communication.

• When do I apply?
• Where should I apply?
• How do I write a cover letter or résumé?
• Can I afford to take an internship without pay?
• If I’m lucky enough to get numerous offers, which one should I accept?

This pot will try to shed some light on these more difficult questions.  I’ll break down the process into the 5 W’s (and H) to help make it a little easier.
But enough exposition, let’s get started with the easiest of these questions …

Who?

You, a member of the UHP, sooooo …

What?

Apply for a summer internship

When?

As of this posting, a few application deadlines have already passed.  That said, there are still plenty of organizations that have deadlines in January, February, and even as late as March.  So, start looking!

Why?

There are seemingly limitless reasons why you should intern:

• Build your résumé
• Gain experience that cannot be taught in a classroom
• Network and meet people in your field
• Get early job offers
• Learn more about yourself, including what work environment best suits you
• Discover whether you like the field you are studying (better to learn now than after you graduate!!)

Okay, so those were the easier ones.  Now it is time for the harder questions:

How?

– So you know you know you want to intern … How do you go about applying?

Finding intern opportunities:

• GWork – This GW website is for more than just work-study jobs.  They post intern listings as well.
• Your school’s website – Many of GW’s schools and colleges list internship opportunities on their websites and in emails.  For instance, the School of Media and Public Affairs has an entire section of their website devoted to internships specifically for SMPA students.
• Google – Simply search for the organization you are hoping to work for and look around on their website.
• Email – Email leaders at the organization, inquiring whether they have internship opportunities.  Remember to use email etiquette and fully explain who you are.

Pro-Tip: Make sure to apply to many different internships, particularly in the summer when the pool of applicants is very large.  Better safe than sorry! 

Preparing your application:

The GW Career Center student website features a variety of tools and guides for preparing your application.  For instance, they have PDFs that describe how to create a cover letter and résumé.
Pro-Tip: Create your cover letter and résumé before paying a visit to the Career Center (found in Colonial Crossroads on the fifth floor of the Marvin Center).  If you write them beforehand, they can take a look at your writing samples and give suggestions of how to improve them, including what to cut out from your résumé.

Getting recommendations:

Many internships require recommendations from both professors and workplace professionals.  Often these recommendations are particularly meaningful – they provide more insight than a transcript ever can.
So, who to ask?  It is best to pick a professor who knows you well (it helps if you did well in their class).  The more they know about you, the more in depth the recommendation will be.
When should you start asking your former professors and bosses to write you a recommendation?  The answer is now – NOT later.  It is best if you can ask your recommender in person, though if you must use email, be sure to be both kind and professional.
Once you have determined who is going to recommend you, send them information about each of your applications.  What would you do at the internship?  What skills are required for the internship?  Do a little research.  This will allow your recommender to write a more personalized recommendation that emphasizes what the internship is looking for. Specialized recommendations are so much more meaningful than generic clichés like, “He is hardworking.”
Pro-Tip #1: Be sure to give your recommender a deadline a week or so before the actual application due date, that way if they get behind, it will not put your application in jeopardy.
Pro-Tip #2: Be sure to check in with your recommender from time to time to see if they need additional information.  (This is a subtle way of reminding them that the deadline is fast approaching.)

Where?

Okay, so you know how to apply.  So where are you going to intern?  How do you sort through all of the opportunities?
For starters, consider what opportunities you will have at each organization.

• Will your tasks be related to the field you hope to one day pursue?
• How hands on will the internship be?
• Will you simply be fetching coffee and completing secretarial duties or will you have a chance to participate in activities related to your ideal line of work?

Look at blogs and internship reviews. Talk to other UHP members and peers in your major. They may have an idea of whether the organization is ideal for you.
Aside from the organization itself, also consider where you want to live. This is both an economical and emotional question.
After nine months at GW, do you miss your family and hometown? Would you prefer to spend the summer at home and find an internship there?  (Sometimes, particularly at hometown organizations with small staffs, you may have more opportunities to do hands-on work – they need all the help they can get!)
Or, do you cherish your independence and thus would rather live in a different city for the summer?  Maybe you even want to avoid mom and dad by staying in DC?  Of course, the question then becomes, can you find housing and can you afford it?
Which brings up another topic to think about … money!
Interns very often are unpaid. Can you afford to work 40 hours a week at an internship without pay?  Should you allocate time for a part-time job?
Wrap-Up
There are so many opportunities out there – as a friend of mine once said, you have a “crisis of opportunity.”  So just start looking!
Find something that interests you , then get cracking on those applications!
Best of luck and have fun!