Internships in D.C., I have had a few. Private sector, public sector, corporate, non-profit, paid, unpaid, for credit, not for credit… DC offers it all, and as a graduate student at SIS, internships give you the ability to test out professional life.
I finish my graduate degree in international communication (IC) this May. Right now, I am an intern at MWW Group, a government and public relations firm. It’s my third internship in DC and this one I am taking for credit to meet a requirement of the IC program (you can complete a master’s thesis or write a major research paper and do an internship for credit—SIS offers good program flexibility).
How do SIS students get internships? Methods vary, but I use resources like the SIS networking events, the AU CareerWeb (AU’s Career Center’s online job and internship database), SIS listserv messages (alumni and professors post job/internship openings and the career center sends out a weekly list) and my own contacts. These resources are tailored for SIS students, making your search for a relevant internship experience much easier.
The Career Center offers quick drop-ins in the SIS coffee house, which I used when I first began applying for internships. A quick edit from Olya Dadressan, an SIS career advisor, and my resume was markedly better. I was able to secure my current internship and one last semester at Mazda’s Government and Public Affairs Department by applying online through AUCareerWeb.
The Career Center and the SIS Graduate Student Council (GSC) also host networking events on campus throughout the year, giving current students the chance to interact with alumni, professors and career center advisors. These provide opportunities to find out about internships and get advice from professionals.
I was able to get a job for last summer through the GSC’s spring speed-networking event. I had not planned on attending the event, but my class got out early, so I went. I had been at work earlier that day, so I was dressed professionally and had a few business cards on me (I’ll admit I design/print my own on my computer). I went with the expectation that I might learn more about possible career paths and maybe make a contact. My initial contact with an AU alumnus at the event turned into a communication job at the National Association of Realtors. Networking opportunities are everywhere, being aware and making the time is the key!
This time around, I had the most success using the AU CareerWeb. After submitting applications (standard cover letter, resume and writing sample) to about seven companies, I was offered four interviews, three at public relations firms and one at an NGO, the Council for a Community of Democracies. I did prep for the interviews: read the organization’s websites, spoke to someone I knew who had interned there before and checked other publications that had covered the organization. Contacting the career center to see if they have any alumni contacts with the company to which you are applying is also useful. I sent thank you letters to those I interviewed with and at the end I had a few offers on the table. I choose MWW, because the job content fit closest to my career interests.
If you are just moving to DC, sans job, registering at a temp agency, like The Choice, Inc., is a good place to make some cash while job/internship hunting. Graduate school is about the last time you’ll be able to “test-drive” a career through an internship. You’re in DC—internships help you build your resume even if you’re not taking them for credit! It’s a very real possibility to find a part-time job or paid internship anytime of the year in DC, and balance with a full class load at SIS.
Important Note: The views expressed are my own and in do not necessarily represent the opinions, positions or strategies of MWW Group nor any other mentioned organization.
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