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Career Resources
The Office of Student Engagement and Success is here to help you in your exploration. You will get help and advice on researching companies, targeting jobs, writing your resume and cover letter and sharpening your interview skills. The Office can help arrange internships, mentorships and job shadowing opportunities, and can even notify you when potential employers come to campus.
We provide one-on-one career counseling and career exploration, as well as educational workshops designed to help polish your business professional skills. Email [email protected], visit our staff in 331 Clement Hall, or call 334-244-3398 to set up an appointment. We are here to help you reach your goals.
Achieve Career Goals
Do you know about the Clothing Closet?
Do you have a big interview coming up and nothing to wear? Are you attending the Career Fair and need a tie or professional pair of pants? Contact the Office of Student Engagement and Success to browse the Clothing Closet!
Career Resources
Career Assessment and Planning
The College of Business realizes each student’s career development timeline is unique, this resource can offer some ideas as well as access to several different career analysis and development programs.
Internships
An internship allows you to gain knowledge in your field or intended career path through an applied experience prior to graduation. Internships are offered by private businesses, government agencies, and non-profit organizations and may be part-time, full-time, paid, or unpaid.
The College of Business realizes each student’s career development timeline is unique, this resource can offer some ideas as well as access to several different career analysis and development programs.
You may be eligible to earn academic credit for a business internship as a major or general elective course. See below for internship course requirements.
Your search for an internship should begin several months before your ideal start date. You can find an internship at any point during the year, but some summer internship programs have application deadlines. You need to be proactive in your search, use multiple resources to identify internships, and have a resume ready to send.
Keep an open mind. Businesses of every size and in every industry as well as and government/non-profit organizations need people with expertise in business areas. If you have the financial resources to cover the transportation and living expenses, you might consider an out-of-town/out-of-state internship to gain a specific type of experience (such as an internship with a large corporation or the Federal Reserve).
Here are some resources for finding an internship:
Your search for an internship should begin several months before your ideal start date. You can find an internship at any point during the year, but some summer internship programs have application deadlines. You need to be proactive in your search, use multiple resources to identify internships, and have a resume ready to send.
Keep an open mind. Businesses of every size and in every industry as well as and government/non-profit organizations need people with expertise in business areas. If you have the financial resources to cover the transportation and living expenses, you might consider an out-of-town/out-of-state internship to gain a specific type of experience (such as an internship with a large corporation or the Federal Reserve).
Taking an internship course is a fantastic way to work toward your degree. If you obtain an internship in your field or intended career path in business and meet other requirements, you may be eligible to earn academic credit for an internship as a major or general elective. Here are the internship course eligibility requirements:
Academic Eligibility for an Internship Course
- Successful completion of at least 60 credit hours by the start of the internship course
- GPA of 2.75 or higher
- Meets internship course prerequisites
Graduate students
- Successful completion of at least 15 credit hours by the start of the internship course
- GPA of 3.0 or higher
- Meets internship course prerequisites
Prerequisites for all internship courses are the approval of the chair of the department offering the course. In addition, students seeking to enroll in MKTG 4924 Internship in Marketing must have also completed MKTG 3310 with a C or better.
You must first obtain an internship position and have your employer complete the first part of the Internship Course Application to be considered for an internship course. Please see follow the instructions on the application.
Most internship courses are 1 to 3 credit hours. To complete an internship course, one requirement is to work at least 3 hours per week per credit hour in your internship for 15 weeks (or equivalent for the Summer term). You don’t necessarily need to work full time to have an internship. Most employers will accommodate your need to attend classes. Find an internship that is right for your schedule.
Your search for an internship should begin several months before your ideal start date. You can find an internship at any point during the year, but some summer internship programs have application deadlines. You need to be proactive in your search, use multiple resources to identify internships, and have a resume ready to send.
Keep an open mind. Businesses of every size and in every industry as well as and government/non-profit organizations need people with expertise in business areas. If you have the financial resources to cover the transportation and living expenses, you might consider an out-of-town/out-of-state internship to gain a specific type of experience (such as an internship with a large corporation or the Federal Reserve).
If you are an international student, you are encouraged to find an internship and gain valuable experience in your field. While in the U.S., internship possibilities include on-campus internships (if an opportunity is available and you are selected for the position) and unpaid positions off-campus. You may also find paid part-time (less than 20 hours in Spring and Fall semesters) and full-time positions (more than 20 hours in the Summer semester) off-campus. Many employers are willing to hire international students. You will need to check for application restrictions when searching for an internship opportunity.
To work in a paid, off-campus internship, you will need to pursue Curricular Practical Training (CPT). CPT is defined as employment, which is an integral part of an established curriculum, including: “alternate work/study, internship, cooperative education, or any other type of required internship or practicum which is offered by sponsoring employers through cooperative agreements with the school.” Source: [8 CFR 214.2(f)(10)(i)].
Prior to searching for an internship, you must first work with your Academic Advisor to ensure that an internship course will fit with your degree program. Because internships are not required by any degree program in the College of Business, you must enroll in an internship course to be eligible for CPT. Eligibility for an internship course depends on your academic status and your intended internship.
CPT is available only prior to the completion of your degree program and you must have a job offer at the time of application. CPT employment may not delay completion of the academic program. Students must maintain full-time enrollment during CPT.
CPT Qualification Guidelines
How to Apply for CPT
First, you should make an appointment to meet with your PDSO or DSO in the Office of Global Initiatives in the Administration Building, 109, prior to engaging in the internship.
Resumes and Cover Letters
Download a resume template and customize it for your unique experiences. Additional resources include sample email messages to prospective employers, cover letters, and links to professional development videos and websites.
Choose a resume template that best fits your major or graduate program and work experience. Download the file and rename it to include your name (e.g., C Harris Resume). Edit the parts in red text with your information. Use action verbs and situation-result to describe your experience. Omit I, my, you, we, etc. Tailor your resume to your job search. Remember to change the text to all black. The resume should be black type on a white background. In Word, use spelling and grammar check (or Editor), correct spacing and text alignment errors, and proof-read. Ask someone to give you feedback on your resume.
Resume Templates:
Sample Resumes:
Many employers require or expect you to provide a cover letter when applying for professional positions, including internships.
Sample Cover Letters:
Sample Email Messages:
Using a resume check site will give your feedback on your resume and may help you get noticed in an applicant tracking systems (ATS) used by many employers.
Jobscan is a free site that compares your resume to a specific job ad. Upload your resume and paste in a job ad. The scan results provide feedback on the searchability of your resume and the match between your information and the job description, including hard and soft skills, recruiter tips, and more. If you don’t have a job description, the scanner compares your resume to a default job ad and provides a small amount of feedback.