How to Find an Internship

 

Looking for on-demand internship search support? 

CLA created a “How to Find an Internship” module to help you explore the many ways CLA students have found internships and provide background on search strategies so you can choose a strategy that will work for you. Watch the video to learn more and access the module today! 

There are many ways you can find internship opportunities to pursue.

Start with Handshake, the University of Minnesota’s free job and internship search database. You’ll find thousands of possibilities in Handshake which is available only to UMN students and alumni.

Once you’re logged into Handshake:

  • Click on the “Jobs” tab at the top of the page. 
  • On the page that follows, click on the “Internship” button to display the entire list of internship opportunities. 
  • If you wish, click on the “Filters” button and use the “Job Type” filters to narrow down your search.
The CLA Career Readiness Guide covers how to find an internship in the "CLA Career Management Model: Experience" section. Access the guide online, or pick up a copy in CLA Career Services or in one of the CLA Academic Advising offices.

Handshake isn’t your only internship search resource. You can also:

  • Check out the Job & Internship search resources
  • Get help from a CLA career counselor.
  • Contact organizations of interest directly—by visiting their websites or contacting internship coordinators there—to learn about opportunities.
  • Talk to professors and staff members in your major (or a major of interest), many of whom a) have connections at various organizations, and b) will know where previous students have interned.
  • Talk to your fellow students to see where they have been an intern.
  • Reach out to your parents and other family members, neighbors, and others who know you well for ideas and leads.
  • Attend the CLA Internship & Career Fair, an annual event where you can explore internship opportunities with a wide variety of organizations that are hiring CLA students for internships. 
  • Visit other career fairs, such as the University of Minnesota Job and Internship Fair.
  • Intern abroad—the University of Minnesota’s Learning Abroad Center lists multiple internship opportunities under their programs icon by searching “Internships” on the “Program Features” filter.
  • Pitch your own internship to customize your experience or connect with a particular organization. 
  • Tap into CLA’s alumni network, particularly through the CLA LinkedIn group.
  • Use the UMN Alumni Association’s Maroon and Gold Network, a free online networking platform that allows you to get career-related advice from UMN alumni around the world who have volunteered to share it.

International Students and Internships

If you are an international student (F-1) and you would like to pursue a paid internship, you will need Curricular Practical Training (CPT) authorization. This authorization allows you to work in a position off campus that is directly related to your major area of study before you have completed your degree.

In order to activate your CPT authorization, you will need to watch the CPT module, meet with an International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS) advisor, and register for an eligible credit-bearing internship course.

Many CLA departments have internship courses (3896) that fulfill CPT requirements. Or consider CLA 3896, Internship Reflection: Making Meaning of Your Experience. Learn more about International Student and Scholar Services.