By Rebecca Martelotti
Assistant Features Editor 
The search for summer internships has begun. A summer internship can be the gateway to an entry-level position, but unfortunately, they are not always easy to obtain. Summer internships can be either paid or for college-credit. To get college credit, students must have permission from their school, and complete a certain amount of hours interning in order to receive credits. Applying to programs early is your best bet. At this point, there will be fewer applicants, and many companies begin interviewing for positions months in advance. With deadlines for summer internships arriving, students need to act now.
One option is to apply online. Students should think of places they would like to intern at and start there. Companies usually advertise their own internship programs and career opportunities directly on
their websites. Online sites such as internmatch.com, internships.com, collegerecruiter.com, ed2010.com, and linkedin.com constantly post internship opportunities — both paid and for academic credit, for college students of all majors.
The sites are simple to navigate and allow students to send their resume directly to the company. Certain sites are even geared towards particular career fields. “I personally use internmatch.com to search for internships at companies I would want to work for,” said Thomas Durso, a freshman Accounting major. “My profile on linkedin.com is helpful as well. I can look up companies and people, and many jobs are posted directly on the site, so it’s no work to apply.”
It is important to make sure to customize every single resume and cover letter to the specific job opportunity in order to stand a chance of landing a good internship. If truly interested in the position, students can follow up by sending an email to the internship supervisor after submitting their application to reiterate their interest.
LIU Post also has a Career Service Center, located on the second floor of Kumble Hall, where counselors can help students prepare their resumes, advise them on how to search for internships, and even put students in touch with companies and alumni.
Students can make an appointment to see a career counselor by calling 516-299-2251. “The career center helped me to get my summer internship [at a computer startup company] last year,” said Joseph Marra, a senior Computer Science major. “The counselor fixed my cover letter for me, and suggested a few places for me to apply to and gave me contacts for each.”
Students can also make an account on JobNet, which is a site where LIU Post’s career center counselors frequently post job and internship opportunities for students of all majors, and also connects them with employers. The site also posts on-campus recruitment events, career fairs, and networking events. On-campus recruitment for accounting positions takes place during the fall semester, while on- campus recruitment for education positions takes place during the spring semester. On-campus recruitment for all other areas is scheduled as requested by employers. Students can look on JobNet for the schedule of events.
A summer internship gives you the opportunity to learn aspects about an industry where you may want to work. “Every internship I’ve had so far has opened many doors for me, and has given me the opportunity to meet so many amazing people,” said Jacklyn Stringham, a junior Public Relations major. “It’s a way to get experience while meeting people who might be able to help you in the future.”
Many companies rehire their own summer interns. Having an internship on your resume is a career builder — it may lead to bigger positions. Although you might spend your summer stapling stacks of paper and running for coffee, the experience on your resume is extremely valuable and worth it.
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