Internships are extremely helpful in learning new skill, however compared to other extracurriculars, they’re more difficult to get. There are a couple reasons for this: First, unlike with clubs or research, there are few (if any) that will contact for internships directly from the university. Second, generally since interns don’t effect the bottom line of a company, they don’t pay you. However engineering internships will generally always pay you because for you to learn anything you have to be doing things that will affect the company’s bottom line. The first step to getting an internship is to get an interview. Here is a list (in increasing order of success) of how get an interview:

Use the internet: You can go to a company’s website and submit your resume and contact information. I has the least probability of success because it’s the easiest but must disconnected method, all they know is your name and your resume.

Use Bullseye/Linkedin: Bullseye is a service provided by the university that connects students with potential employers, you have to provide your resume and contact information but the employers there has a history of of recruiting from university at buffalo so it increases your chances. Linkedin is like a ‘professional facebook’ and it needs the same things but it supplies a couple extra tools the make it easier to identify potential employers. The general strategy is to use these tools that linkedin has to find a company you like/is looking for interns. Find someone in that company that you have something in common with (like going to the same university) and tell them your interested in applying as a intern but wanted to know more about the company and what they do. Then set a meeting and ask about their job and how to apply. If you use this strategy the company will have your contact info, your resume and can put a face to that, increasing your chances.

Go to the job fair: The university host two job fairs each year. One is in the fall is more STEM(science, technology, engineering and math) oriented. The other is in spring and focuses more on the other fields of study. You should come in a suit and a folder to store resumes. The general strategy is the following: first make a list of the companies your interesting in. Next go to there booth and introduce yourself, ask questions, talk a little and give them your resume and get there contact information, do this to everyone your list. Just a warning these conversations can last up to 5-10 minutes per person so if there is a line of 5 people it can be a while so make sure to go to the companies that you are most interested in or are the most well known first. Lastly you need to follow up on them and either submit your resume electronically or follow whatever instructions they gave you at the job fair. I should emphasize it’s your responsibility to follow up, they will almost never call you after the job fair to offer you an internship/interview even if they like you. The point of the job fair is not to give you a job but to give you a point of contact with the company.

Through a friend/family member: Simply put ask someone you know if there company is looking for interns, if so ask them how apply. This is by far the most effective tactic because then your friend is in a position to recommend you which increases your chances exponentially. Most people I know what have gotten internships do it through this method and the reason is simple. When a company is looking for someone to hire they want to know as much about you as possible, they are in essence taking a risk on if you will be an asset to the company or not if someone who knows you on a personal level can vouch for you then they will feel better about taking that risk.

In a nutshell, if you want an internship you need contacts and these are some ways of getting some.