LEARN about being an INTERN!

Internships! We hear about them a lot in college, but what is it really and how do they benefit me? Well, an internship is an academically-inclined, temporary employment with a company. They benefit you in a number of ways:

• Experience for your future career: Take on internships that you feel will benefit you in getting your future job. Ex. If I want to be a professional clown, why would I intern at Mircosoft? I want to intern at the best clown company there is!

• Build your resume: The more applicable experience you have for your future career, the better!

• Make connections: Someone knows someone, who knows someone, who probably knows someone who is in the career you want to be in. Those connections can lead to a future career!

• Opportunity to take new experiences: Helps you have real insight on a career or in an industry you are interested in. You’ll find out you love it or you hate it, and both knowledge is beneficial for you in the long run!

• Apply your academics to the real world: See the connections! See what you’re learning in school now actually helps you in your career!

Now, if you’re applying for internships, you need to know where to look. Good places I recommend:

• On-Campus Career Fairs

• Campus Career Website

• Linkedin

• Online Job Search Engines (i.e. Indeed, Monster, Snagajob)

• Company’s Direct Website

• Kiwanians (There’s a huge network of Kiwanians who know a lot of people! Tap into that!)

Interning at the OC Fair

For me, I have had 3 internships in my life

-Summer of 2nd & 3rd Year: Sales Internship at Bankers Life & Casualty

-Summer of 3rd & 4th Year: Marketing Office Coordinator at OC Fair & Event Center

-Spring of 4th Year: Marketing Internship at Southern California Motorcycles

All my internships vary in the industry I was in, but all focus in marketing in some way. I felt these experiences were beneficial for me in their own ways. One of them, I learned that selling insurance is no joke and respect people who could call you because they are people too on the other side of the phone, just trying to do their job. The other position, I learned that there can be extreme expectations for you, but sometimes, you need to go above and beyond in order to prove your commitment to the company. Who knows? You can be rewarded at the end of it all! Lastly, I learned that motorcycles are super cool.

I encourage everyone to pursue an internship, whether the company is big or small, or the industry is one you have experience in or not. You can always grow and learn from the experience! If anyone has questions about how to apply, building their resumes, interviewing, how to handle a career fair, let me know! Happy to help with any knowledge I have :)

Whitney Tang is a 4th year majoring in Marketing at California State University, Fullerton. She is also on the CNH Circle K district service committee and the DLSSP South chair. She works at Which Wich and is a Marketing Intern at Southern California Motorcycles.