Internship & Job Search Strategies - KU Career Development Center

Career Planning and Internship Preparation

Chad Ganley, Assistant Director of Kutztown University’s Career Development Center, explains how students can explore internships, plan a job search, and present themselves professionally.

Internships: Purpose and Planning

• Check your academic requirements first. Ask your academic advisor whether an internship is required or optional, whether it can count for credit, and when you can complete it.
• Choose a suitable timeframe. Internships may take place during the fall or spring alongside classes, or over the summer.
• Understand the commitment and requirements.
  • Internships have defined start and end dates and are supervised work experiences.
  • They may be paid or unpaid.
  • For-credit internships may require about 150 hours per semester, or roughly 10–12 hours per week.
  • Requirements may include paperwork, a minimum GPA, a resume, a cover letter, references, and submission deadlines. Confirm details with your department and advisor.
  • Start preparing several months ahead.
• Use an internship to test and build your career direction. Internships can help you assess whether a field suits you, apply classroom learning, develop communication skills, build professional connections, and strengthen your resume.
• The presenter cites research suggesting that students who complete internships earn an average starting salary about $15,000 higher than students who do not. He notes that the figure is several years old.

Define What You Are Looking For

Develop a clear sense of your preferences and goals before applying. Consider:

• Your skills, abilities, interests, and values.
• Whether you prefer working with people or independently, and what schedule or work setting suits you.
• The type and size of employer you want to join.
• Where you want to live and work.
• Typical salaries, benefits, and what a reasonable entry-level offer looks like.
• Benefits such as retirement plans, tuition reimbursement, graduate-school support, professional development, flexible work arrangements, and wellness resources.

Set short- and long-term goals instead of waiting until graduation to make these decisions.

Explore Careers Through Experience and Conversations

• Aim for two or three informational interviews per semester with professionals in fields that interest you. These can be brief conversations by phone, video, or over coffee.
• Ask how they entered the field, what they like or dislike about their work, what they studied, and what advice they would offer a student.
• When possible, arrange job shadowing or volunteer work to see an organization’s work firsthand.
• Find contacts and opportunities through faculty, family, classmates, alumni, and the Career Development Center.

Where to Search

• Start with your personal and professional network. The presenter says 80% of jobs are found through some form of networking.
• Use Handshake, Kutztown’s career platform, to search opportunities, find events and fairs, upload a resume, create a profile, and contact employers or recruiters.
• Attend campus job and internship fairs, on-campus recruiting events, and relevant professional-association events.
• Use LinkedIn to build your professional presence, search its job board, and connect with recruiters and alumni. Follow employers on social media and check their career pages.
• Tell people you are searching. Mention the field or type of role you want and ask whether they know someone in that area—not simply whether they can hire you.

Prepare for Job and Internship Fairs

• Fairs may include local, regional, and national employers. Conversations may last only 30 seconds to a few minutes.
• Prepare a concise introduction that explains your background, strengths, and interests.
• Be ready for crowded, fast-paced events and possible waits. Virtual fairs may require you to sign up for a time.
• Employers may use fair conversations to arrange interviews.

Build a Professional-Search Toolkit

Before applying, prepare and review:

• A tailored resume and cover letter. The Career Development Center offers resume reviews through Handshake and reviews cover letters by email.
• A professional email address and a clear, professional voicemail greeting. Keep your voicemail box available so employers can leave a message.
• A LinkedIn profile and a practiced 30-second introduction.
• Interview skills and suitable professional clothing. The university’s Career Closet can provide interview or workplace attire.

Resume Guidance

• Proofread for spelling, grammar, and formatting so your resume is error-free.
• Most students should keep a resume to one page. A second page may be appropriate for people with substantial experience, research, or presentations.
• Tailor each version to the role and include relevant industry terms and keywords, including language from the job description.
• Make your fit apparent quickly. The presenter says employers may initially spend only 10–15 seconds reviewing a resume.

Interview Preparation and Follow-Up

• Research the organization and role before the interview.
• Be ready to show that you can do the job, are motivated to do it, and can contribute to the team.
• Practice for both in-person and virtual interviews. For virtual interviews, test the platform, internet connection, equipment, and background, and dress professionally.
• Send a thank-you email within 24 hours. Thank interviewers for their time, reaffirm your interest, and mention one or two reasons you would be a strong fit.
• Search your name online. Review what employers may find, then adjust privacy settings or remove content where appropriate.

The “NEWS” Personal Pitch

The presenter recommends preparing and practicing a short introduction using NEWS:

• Name
• Education
• Work experience
• Skills and abilities

Write down the pitch, practice it aloud, and adapt it for interviews, networking, and career fairs.

Final Action Priorities

1. Attend an internship or job fair.
2. Upload your resume to Handshake.
3. Practice interviewing.

Speakers and Sources

• Speaker: Chad Ganley, Assistant Director, Kutztown University Career Development Center.
• Career and job-search resources: Kutztown University Career Development Center, academic advisors, faculty, Kutztown alumni, Handshake, LinkedIn, professional associations, and employers’ career pages.