Building Connections through College Internship Programs

Though you’ve heard the buzz about internships, you still might not be convinced. Why are so many college students focused on landing one? Well, these unique learning experiences are worth the hype. Securing a college internship is more than just an opportunity to gain marketable career skills. It’s also a time to learn more about your strengths and weaknesses, meet new people, and create lifelong personal connections. 

In other words, internships for college students are golden opportunities to forge valuable relationships—with yourself and with others—that will shape your professional future. 

As Spiderman would say, with a great internship position comes great responsibility. (Okay, we’re paraphrasing.) Because a summer internship can lead to a lifetime of networking possibilities, it’s important to be strategic about how you approach this time.

If you do land an internship—congratulations!—you’ll want to be sure to make the most of it. Let’s take a closer look at the kinds of people you may meet during your internship, and how you can leverage those connections for post-college career success. 

Before you even begin your internship, consider meeting with a career counselor. 

Many colleges provide on-campus career counseling services that can help you land your ideal internship. Career counselors have connections with local, national, and international employers who are specifically looking for students from your school, or who are studying in your chosen field. They’re also familiar with the range of internships available, whether they’re internships for college freshmen, summer internships, year-long internships, or others. 

Remember, counselors are people too—they want to help. Make a connection with a career counselor starting as early as your freshman year to get the most out of their guidance and expertise. 

Many career counselors organize workshops, seminars, and networking events. Attend these sessions to not only enhance your professional skills but also to connect with other students, professionals, and potentially even guest speakers. 

In addition to career counselors, there are other on-campus connections you should attempt to forge. Professors, Teaching Assistants (TAs), and even other students can all provide referrals and references to help you find internships for college students and full-time careers. 

By actively engaging with the career services offerings, and leveraging their knowledge and connections, you can strategically expand your network and set the stage for future career success.

Now that you’ve landed your dream internship, it’s not just the boss you’ll want to impress. Your peers and co-workers are critical to your day-to-day success—and happiness—at the workplace. 

Seek out friendships with your co-workers for both mentorship bonding and learning opportunities. Ask questions. Every single person you meet knows more about something than you—even another intern can teach you something new!

Take the initiative to strike up conversations about the industry, how they like their jobs, what career advice they might have, and more. If you’re discussing projects or sitting in on team meetings, using a tool like Notta can help you keep track of key points without breaking the flow of the conversation. These casual interactions can lay the groundwork for more meaningful connections down the road. 

When you create genuine connections with co-workers while completing your internship for college students, you’ll build your network and gain valuable insight into career realities and opportunities when it comes time to join the top notch coworking spaces. 

Many companies will provide you with opportunities to network outside of the office. Happy hours, corporate gatherings, conventions, and industry events are all chances for you to build your list of connections. 

These events typically happen after hours, but they’re worth the extra effort. Meeting new people across other departments, companies, and even industries is a great way to build helpful connections while you have the chance. 

While attending networking events, collect the business cards of people you meet. After attending networking events, follow up by emailing the people you met to thank them for their time and express interest in keeping in touch.  Genuine outreach can result in lifelong friendships, connections, and career opportunities. You can also simplify your networking by using tools like Uniqode's Business Card to share contact details instantly at events; an easy, eco-friendly way to stay connected without worrying about misplaced cards.

Are there any alumni from your university working at your internship company? Ask around the office to find out. Maybe that career counselor you connected with earlier knows of alumni at the company; ask to be connected with them. 

Alumni are some of the easiest connections to make at a summer internship or other job site. Because of your shared experience at your university, there is often an instant camaraderie, and a mutual desire to help out someone from their school. 

In addition to meeting alumni during your college internship, some colleges and universities run structured mentoring programs that pair students with alumni mentors. Taking advantage of this kind of opportunity could lead to your next big break, including any internships for college students at an alumni’s company or organization, as well as future job offers.

Personal growth is a key benefit of college internship programs. Through real-world experience, you’ll learn more about your strengths, your weaknesses, and your interests, which can help guide your further studies as well as your future job search. 

This is also an opportunity to develop the kinds of workplace skills employers want. Use your internship to work on your interpersonal skills, so you can connect with new people and effectively navigate the workplace. Be a team player that others can depend on, sharpen your communication skills, and learn how to adapt through hardship or change.

An internship is the ultimate personal growth experience. Perhaps the most valuable souvenir of your internship will be the character and skills you gain during this process.

While many students start seeking internships in their junior and senior years, there are plenty of opportunities for freshmen as well. Though it may seem early, internships for college freshmen can help you decide which major to choose, or how to structure the rest of your college experience. It will also give you an early jump on networking and building your workplace skill set, as opposed to waiting. 

Internships for college freshmen also leave room later in your college career for taking on a second or third internship. In other words, it allows you to seek out additional opportunities for building connections, developing a resume, and learning more about what you’d like to do after graduation. There’s no reason to postpone if you have the time to start now.

Your school’s career counselor will have ideas for what kinds of internships might be a good fit for your goals and interests. Here are some ideas to get you started:

• Internships with local non-profit organizations
• Summer internships
• Internships with companies or organizations overseas
• Fortune 500 company internships
• Internships with local or state government agencies
• Internships with start-up companies
• Year-long internships during a gap year

If you’re still struggling with where to start, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Sometimes, just getting your foot in the door is all you need to get started on your journey. Empowerly’s Startup Internship Program pairs students with meaningful internships that match their abilities. Reach out to a team member to learn more about this program, our success rate, and what students have to say!