Assess What You Want
Before you can begin researching companies and internship opportunities, you need to assess what type of experience you are hoping to have and spend time developing your wish list. This type of preparation will allow you to target your search and make the overall process more manageable. Use the prompts and worksheets below to assist in your self-assessment.
Self Assessment Prompts
Consider the ideas below to help you decide what you are looking to get out of an internship experience and to shape your search.
Why do you want to do an internship?
Use skills learned in class and get practical, hands-on knowledge to apply to a real world professional setting.
Gain knowledge of what entry-level employment may look like.
Gain key contacts in your industry that may lead to future employment and/or potential references for full-time or freelance jobs down the line.
Work directly with a senior level professional who can also serve as a mentor.
What kind of work do you want to do?
Gain new skills that will make you more marketable to employers and strengthen your resume at the same time.
Collaborate on interdisciplinary teams.
Improve your technique and process, while strengthening time management and communication skills.
Work on projects that are meaningful and impactful.
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What else can you get out of it?
Test drive a career goal that’s about either a specific position or a specific organization.
Explore and identify new areas of interest in an industry that may increase career options down the line.
Gain exposure to new areas, and discover new interests and talents.
Start developing a professional network and stay in contact with the professionals you meet.
Where is your ideal internship located?
How far do you want to travel for the internship? Do you want to stay in LA? Go out of state? Travel abroad?
What type of company or organization do you want to work for? Start up? Corporate? Small, boutique-style?
Reflect Before You Search
Theres a lot to consider before you start searching for a job. Where kind of job experience are you looking for? What’s the best work environment for you? Are you limited by geography? It’s also helpful to consider your passions, your values, your personality, and your artistic/design style when you start at job search. Use our worksheets below to shape your reflection and exploration.
Self-Reflection
Use the spaces on this linked worksheet to collect your thoughts about who you are, what you care about, the nature of what you create, and your dream job/employer. This sheet is designed to help you get a better understanding of the values you have and how they might interact with your internship search.
Understand Your Priorities
We all have different priorities that will impact an internship search. Use this linked pre-search questionnaire to identify your needs. preferences, and priorities in four categories: day-to-day work life, location, money and compensation, and type of employment/employer. This will help narrow your search based on what is important to you.