Many undergraduate students at GCSU find themselves stressing as they search for an internship opportunity during their academic career, but what they do not know is that there are a number of resources available to them through the school.
Whether a student is a history major or a marketing major, they are advised by GCSU’s Career Center to choose a company that is within the realm of their studies for the most beneficial experience.
“My internship this summer is heavily linked with my degree topic,” said Ayomide Rahman, a junior political science major. “It gives me a foundation within my career, which gives me an opportunity to grow and to learn about what I truly want to do.”
If a student is hoping to receive academic credit for an internship, the Career Center at GCSU recommends several actions. Most notably, a student should create an account on Handshake.
According to the official Handshake website, “You increase your chances of having your recruiter message you directly with job opportunities and event invitations. In fact, 80% of students who fill out their profile will receive a message from a recruiter.”
This pushes students’ resume contents out to a broader audience. The majority of students, regardless of their major, upload their internship information through Handshake to be managed by the school. These documents include approval and documentation, for example.
Alongside Handshake, having a strong resume with a top-down structure is another way to be on top of the application process. There is a system within Handshake that allows resumes to be uploaded so a Student Assistant at GCSU can review them and offer suggestions.
Additional steps are recommended on top of this. A student should typically begin the application process early. For example, if a student is hoping to complete an internship over the summer, they would begin applying between September and November of the previous year.
“I started applying in September to get an early start because a lot of the companies I was considering closed applications in early to mid-October,” said Kassie Arps, a senior political science and mass communication student.
If a student is applying for a Spring or Fall internship term, the need to apply early is less prevalent. For reference, most students applying for these semesters submit their applications between four and five months before the internship would begin, rather than eight months in advance like the Summer session.
In order to report an internship for full course credit, a student must log in through Handshake, click “Career Center,” navigate to “Experiences,” and then “Request an Experience.” After that, the student would need to complete the required information about their internship and submit it by clicking the green “Request an Experience” button.
The easiest way to get a complete run-through of information regarding the process is for a student to email their designated advisor asking for those resources. From there, they will receive multiple documents with the necessary steps.
Aside from the advisory staff, the Career Center is also a beneficial resource students can utilize throughout this journey. There are several ways to get involved with the Career Center. Those include one-on-one appointments, workshops, walk-ins, career fairs and several more.
To schedule an appointment with the Career Center, navigate to the official GCSU Website or contact the office directly: [email protected], 478-445-5384. The office is located at 110 Lanier Hall on campus and is open to walk-ins during posted hours.