Internship/Job Search Guide

This guide gives practical advice and resources for engaging in an internship or job search.

Explore Careers

If you’re unsure what type of position to search for, you’ll want to start by exploring your career field and learning more about the types of positions available to you. Here are a few resources for getting started with your research:

If you’re not sure where to begin, Career Services and Advising can guide you through the exploration process.

Network

  • Networking is one of the most important tools in your job or internship search. Through your network contacts, you can find out about job and internship opportunities, learn more about companies you’re interested in applying to, or build a support group of other new professionals in your field.
  • Attend Fairs and Events. The Career Services and Advising Center organizes career fairs, panel discussions
    and roundtable discussions throughout the year. Many departments also host events with alumni and professionals. Community organizations, such as the North Central Massachusetts Chamber of Commerce and other schools regularly hold fairs and events as well. These events allow you to connect in person to professionals in your field and learn more about internship and job opportunities.
  • LinkedIn — Use LinkedIn to identify potential contacts, such as supervisors, professors, classmates and
    coworkers. Reach out to your contacts to let them know you’re looking for a job or internship opportunity. Your network can be a great source of information about jobs in the hidden job market.

Job and Internship Search Resources

Handshake —Handshake is Fitchburg State’s online career platform and our #1 recommended way to search for internships and entry level jobs. It’s designed for students and connects you with thousands of employers in Massachusetts and around the country. Activate your account using your Falcon Key login credentials to get started and download the Handshake app to make job searching easier. Check out our recommended
employers and positions, sign up for career fairs and events, and research companies and positions. To get the most out of Handshake, fill out your profile, including your job interests, preferred location and skills to get customized recommendations.

Idealist — The Idealist Career Center lists jobs, internships, and volunteer opportunities in the nonprofit sector.

LinkedIn — In addition to being a networking tool, LinkedIn hosts a job board so you can leverage connections to help you land jobs.

Industry-specific Job Sites — Many industries have job listing sites specific to the field. Please contact Career Services and Advising for a list.

Professional Organizations — Most professional organizations include job listings on their site (i.e., AIGA, the professional association for design). Check with your advisor or professors for leading professional organizations in your field.

How To Read A Job Description

Reading job descriptions carefully tells you a lot about a job or internship opportunity before you apply. It can help you decide if a role or company is a good fit for you, what to highlight in your
cover letter and what the employer might ask in an interview. Look for the following:

  • Job Title and Department — Can tell you about the focus
    of the role, and the area of the organization you’d be
    working in.
  • Job Location — A job description should indicate whether the position is onside, hybrid, or remote. If you have questions about remote or hybrid work, wait for an appropriate moment during the interview to bring it up. It’s best to discuss specifics when you are further along in the interview process.
  • Requirements and Qualifications — Gives details about the education and experience the employer is looking for. Keep in mind that this if often a wish list. If you don’t meet every single requirement, but feel you could do the job, you should still consider applying.
  • Company and Job Overview — Be sure to read about what the company does (you’ll need to do more research on the company before an interview) as well as a high-level description of the role.
  • Job Responsibilities — Good job descriptions should give details about what the duties and responsibilities of the role are. If you have experience with similar tasks, you’ll want to highlight this in your cover letter or give examples in your interview.

How to Apply

Most often, you’ll be applying online for jobs and internships. As you apply, keep the following tips in mind:

  • Job applications — Read online job applications carefully and take your time filling them out. You may need to enter previous work experience and reference contact information, so have this information handy.
  • Resume and Cover Letter—Usually, you will upload your resume and cover letter before submitting your application. Make sure that your documents are ready and customized to the position before you apply. For ease, upload your resume and cover letter as PDF documents titled with your name (for example: First Name_Last Name_Resume). Need help getting your documents ready? Contact Career Services and Advising to make an appointment.
  • Proofread your Application—Before submitting, make sure you read over your application to check for spelling and grammar errors.

How to Avoid Job Scams

With so many job postings available online, it can sometimes be difficult to tell which opportunities are legitimate. We encourage you to be cautious as you apply for jobs and to ask Career Services and Advising for advice if you have doubts. A few tips to help you:

  • Job Descriptions—Carefully read job descriptions and be suspicious about roles that have very short descriptions or lack details.
  • Pay and Schedule—If the pay seems significantly higher than other positions you’re finding, or the schedule seems too flexible, this can be a red flag. Do your research on starting salaries in your field so that you’re knowledgeable about what to expect.
  • Hasty Job Offer—Another red flag is a company that makes a job offer too quickly. You can always expect to interview for legitimate positions and that hiring managers will need to consider multiple candidates before making a decision.
  • Company Requires Payment—Be suspicious of any company, recruiter or job offer that requires a form of payment from you. No legitimate job opportunity will require you to pay to work for the company.
  • Asks for personal information — Be wary of organizations that ask for personal information, such as social security number or bank account information before you have been offered the position.

Tips For Success

Use multiple sources to find job and internship listings. It will take some trial and error to find out which sources are best for your field. Work with the Career Services and Advising Center to get your resume in good shape before you begin applying for jobs or internships.

Create a profile on job sites and use features like saved searches and liking jobs to improve your recommended positions.

Include time to search for jobs or internships in your schedule as well as time to submit and follow up on applications.

Three members of the career center staff