Internships: Getting Your Foot in the Door

Through internships and other practical experiences outside of the traditional employment situation, both students and employers benefit. Students benefit by gaining some work experience that they can put on their resume and employers benefit from lower cost in workforce for a particular project. Most colleges and universities recognize internship experiences related to a student's chosen field of study for credit. These are structured experiences or contracted experiences monitored by a supervisor on the job site and from the school.

Gillis, Tamara. IABC (2006). Careers>Internships

The Portfolio

When reviewing a job applicant's portfolio, different interviewers have different criteria by which they judge the applicant's previous work. Some interviewers may be looking for very specific applications or specialty skills; others may be looking for evidence of a generalist who can do many types of work; still others may be looking for work that exhibits the company's priorities or goals. Some guidelines to keep in mind when developing a work portfolio include the following.

Gillis, Tamara. IABC (2006). Careers>Portfolios