Your Guide to a Successful Internship Search in Psychology

Why should I do an internship?
Internships are an excellent opportunity to apply what you have learned in psychology and to gain out-of-the-classroom experience. They help students explore careers, learn about their likes/dislikes and strengths/weaknesses, gain job experience, and develop professional contacts.

	An internship can help students reaffirm, eliminate, or identify new career paths. Sometimes students will learn that a population or field is right for them. Other times they may find that work in a particular area is not what they thought it would be. Regardless, students learn very valuable information about themselves before graduation- information that can help them make wiser job and/or graduate school choices later in life.

	Internships are also résumé builders! Employers and graduate school admissions committees are very impressed by internships. They help you stand out from other psychology graduates.
	Finally, an internship allows for networking and may lead to a job after graduation. Many students find job leads from their internships, and supervisors often serve as professional references.

Am I eligible for an internship?
Most students are eligible for an internship if they :

	are a psychology major - any concentration.
	are a senior or second semester junior.
	have a Q.P.A of 2.7 or greater in psychology courses.
	have completed or are enrolled in Psychology Research II.
	have received permission from the supervising professor who is teaching the course during the semester of interest.

What kinds of internships are available?
Because the field of psychology is so broad, many types of internships are available. For example, students have completed internships in the following areas: residential treatment, substance abuse counseling, psychological research, childcare and education, psychiatric hospitals, court systems, human resources, college student services, police work, public relations, and more!

The type of internship selected is up to the student as long as:

it is psychology-related (broadly defined).

the student receives training and is regularly supervised by a qualified professional.

the student has the opportunity to develop new professional skills (see next topic).

the internship is approved by the instructor of the course.

After locating an internship, students should verify it with the professor teaching the internship course the semester for which they are enrolling. This should occur before the first day of classes.

What won’t count for an internship?
As long as students can explain how an internship is psychology-related, it will most likely be approved. However, there are two common situations that would not likely count for internship credit:

Purely secretarial/administrative work that happens to be in a psychology setting. An internship should provide students with an opportunity to build skills within the profession of psychology. Answering phones, filing paperwork, etc., are not psychology-specific skills. Instead, an internship should provide students with work experience and skills that are more unique to psychological careers, such as opportunities for counseling, developing lesson plans, observing court proceedings, collecting and analyzing research data, or helping with personnel actions. Simply working in a psychology setting is not enough; there must be psychology-relevant tasks. (Note: this does not mean that an internship can’t have some administrative responsibilities- just that it cannot be primarily secretarial work.)

Earning credit for an existing job. Internship is a class and as such it should be providing new learning for the students enrolled in it. With pre-existing jobs, students are unlikely to experience new learning simply by earning credit for their work! However, if new responsibilities can be added to an existing job for the duration of the internship, it is possible that an arrangement for credit could be made. See the course instructor to discuss this situation if it applies to you.

What are the course requirements of an internship?
Students who enroll in an internship for academic credit may choose from one of 3 registration options:

	42.498A (1 course credit, 150 hours, approximately 10 hours/week on-site) 42.498B (2 course credits, 300 hours, approximately 20 hours/week on-site) 42.499A (for students pursuing a second internship, 1 course credit option only, 150 hours on-site).
	Most students elect a 1-course credit internship to allow for adequate time for their other classes. However, students can earn a maximum of 2 internship course credits toward their degree. This could come from a combination of one credit of 42.498A and one credit of 42.499A over two semesters OR from one semester of 42.498B. Talk with your advisor and/or the internship supervisor to discuss which option is best for you.
	In addition to working the required internship hours stated above, students must attend regular class meetings on campus. These meetings are designed to facilitate career exploration/planning and to enable students to learn from one another’s internship experiences. Students will also complete assignments to help meet these learning objectives.

Do I have to take the class to do an internship?
We strongly encourage all of our majors to seek a professional work experience before graduation. However, doing a formal internship for academic credit is only one way to gain professional experience. Professional experience can also come through volunteer work (non-paid, no credit) or through a job (paid, no credit). If students cannot take the internship course, they should consider volunteering or working in an environment that provides them with a solid introduction to careers of interest. Academic credit would not be earned for these ‘alternative’ experiences but valuable experience and professional contacts can still be gained.

Can I get paid for my internship?
Some internship sites pay their students and others do not. It is okay to ask if the internship is paid (or if it can be). However, do not expect that internships will always be paid since some organizations/ agencies simply have more funds than others. Remember to balance the quality of the internship opportunity with other factors like pay and location when making a decision about where to intern. An internship that does not pay will still provide an excellent learning and networking opportunity!

What should I expect in my search for an internship?
It is the student’s responsibility to secure an internship before the internship class starts. Most students begin the search at least one month before the semester begins and many start 2-3 months before. Here are the steps to a successful internship search:

Self-assessment. Students should identify the type of work they would like to do and the populations with whom they would like to work. For example, students should ask themselves if they want to explore work in a clinical/counseling, education, court, or business setting. Similarly, students should ask themselves if they want to work with infants, children, adolescents, adults, or the elderly. Answering these questions first will help students focus their internship search. Students who are unsure of their interests should talk with their Psychology advisors and professors and then schedule a one-on-one counseling session with a Career Service Counselor (College Center 510; http://www.framingham.edu/careerservices).

Identify potential internship sites. After students have identified their professional interests, they should begin identifying internship sites that match them. See the next section, entitled “How do I find an internship in the field of Psychology”, for detailed advice on this aspect of the search process.

Develop a current résumé. Work with a Career Services counselor for feedback and assistance on this step of the search process (College Center 510; http://www.framingham.edu/careerservices).

Initiate contact with internship sites. Once students have a viable résumé, they should begin contacting the internships sites of interest to them. Most contact will be initiated by phone but other forms of contact (e.g., in-person, e-mail) may be appropriate in certain situations. Students should ask if the internship site is looking for interns. If so, they should ask if it is possible to meet with someone to discuss the internship further.

Be prepared to answer some questions over the phone, such as why you are interested in the internship, your background, your perceived strengths and weaknesses, etc.

Meet with the internship supervisor. Most internship supervisors will want to meet with potential interns in person. This is great practice for what it’s like to really interview for a job; therefore, prepare for this interview as you would for a prospective job! See below for more tips on interview preparation and consider meeting with a Career Services counselor for extra preparation.

Some sites offer students an internship position during the interview. It is okay to accept the offer during the interview, but it is also often a good idea to ask for a few days to make a decision. This gives student time to assess the internship fit and attend other interviews.

Consider the offers. Students should carefully consider any internship offers they receive. Make sure the internship feels like a good fit in terms of the type of work, the hours/schedule, location, etc.

Contact the Internship Course instructor. Students should check in with the internship course instructor to ensure that the internship they are considering is acceptable for the course. Do this before or right after accepting an offer and before the first day of classes. Stopping by during office hours or sending an e-mail may be appropriate ways to contact the instructor.

Accept an offer. Students should verbally accept the internship that works best for them. They should then clarify the start date with the internship supervisor. The start date should be close to the start of the semester in which the internship course begins. Check with the professor teaching the course if the internship needs to begin a week or two earlier for training.

Decline other offers professionally. If students received other internship offers, they should contact these sites and professionally decline the offer. Thank them for their time and be honest with them. This may feel a bit uncomfortable but there are many reasons to do it:

	First, the MetroWest can be a small community where many organizations ‘talk’ with each other. Often students who tell a little lie (“Oh, I decided not to do an internship”) are discovered doing an internship elsewhere. This does not reflect well on the student! In addition, these actions could negatively impact future FSC students’ searches.
	Second, one never knows what could happen in the future. Students might apply for a job at one of these organizations again in a few years!
	Finally, contacting employers who have extended an offer is a professional courtesy - these individuals took time to do an interview and were willing to make more time for future training and supervision. It is only polite to take a few minutes to respond to their offer.

How do I find an internship in the field of Psychology?
Finding an internship can be accomplished in many ways. The key is to START EARLY- at least a full month before the semester the internship course begins! The following include ideas for how to start a search:

	The Psychology department has a list of internship sites in and around the Framingham/MetroWest area. These are all places that former students have worked at before. While by no means comprehensive, this is a great place to begin a search. The list of sites is located in Nicole Carey (Crocker Hall secretary’s office near the photocopier on the 1^st floor of Crocker).
	FSC’s Career Services Web site has links to current internships, many of which are not listed on the Psychology Department’s list. After registering to use their site, students can access internship postings for all majors, including psychology. We also suggest looking at related majors, such as sociology, business, communications, and education. The internship links can be found by accessing the following Web site: http://www.framingham.edu/careerservices/Internships.htm.
	Networking is also an excellent way to develop internship leads. This simply means talking with people who might know of internship opportunities- friends, relatives, professors, students currently doing an internship, classmates, and high school counselors or teachers! Networking is the most common way of finding job leads so do not underestimate its value in an internship search.
	Attend campus workshops on internships and job searching. Many times current students and employers announce internship opportunities at these workshops and/or can offer excellent advice for students seeking an internship.
	Read fliers on campus that announce internship/job opportunities.

What can I expect at the interview?
Internship interviews can range from very formal to rather casual meetings. Regardless of the type of interview, students should prepare as much as possible. Career Services has excellent handouts about internship search and interview preparation. Pick them up in the College Center 510 or download them from the Career Services Web site at http://www.framingham.edu/careerservices. Tips include:

Dress professionally. If the dress code is unknown, it’s usually advised that students come dressed in business or business-casual attire. The interviewer may not be dressed as formally, but it lets him/her know the student is serious about the internship.

Prepare answers to typical questions they might ask. Typical questions might be:

	What interests you about this internship?
	How would your education and background help you in this type of work?
	What is your class and work schedule like (i.e., when are you available to work)?
	See the Career Services Handouts for many additional common questions.

Prepare questions to ask the interviewer. Coming with prepared questions lets the interviewer know the student is serious about the interview. It’s also a great way for students to learn information that may not have been addressed earlier in the interview. Questions to ask include:

	What’s a typical day like for an intern?
	What training do you offer your interns?
	What hours do you expect an intern to work?
	Can this be a paid position?
	And any other questions specific to your situation…

Some sites may offer the chance to observe staff members in their regular duties. If students find this interesting and have the time, this is a great opportunity to learn about the work environment. Make sure to leave the interview with an understanding of the next step in the process and then follow up as needed. It is also very appropriate to write a short thank-you letter to the interviewer.

This is a bit overwhelming! Is there any place I can go for help!?

	Yes! First and foremost, utilize the Career Services office! They are in the College Center 510 and can help with résumés, interview preparation, and identifying internship sites. They also have an array of excellent information on their Web site: http://www.framingham.edu/careerservices
	Psychology professors, advisors, and the internship instructor can also help with internship selection. Talk with classmates who are currently doing internships too!

I’ve secured an internship! What’s next?

	First of all, congratulations! The internship search experience is a great preview of what it’s like to look for a full-time job, and students should be proud of their efforts.
	As stated earlier, it’s a good idea to check in with the internship professor to make sure the internship is appropriate for the class. Stop by his or her office or send a quick e-mail.
	Come to the first week of class with your internship information and a work schedule. During that first week, the professor will review internship requirements and provide students with a formal contract to complete with their internship supervisors.
	Plan to start working at your internship as soon as the semester starts. The sooner students start, the more likely they’ll stay on track for completing their required hours for the semester (150 hours for a 1-credit internship and 300 hours for a 2-credit one).

REMEMBER, IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT THE INTERNSHIP COURSE REQUIREMENTS, CHECK IN WITH THE COURSE INSTRUCTOR. IT’S BEST TO ASK YOUR QUESTIONS EARLY AS OPPOSED TO LATER! GOOD LUCK AND ENJOY YOUR SEARCH!

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