Welcome to UCDC!
Your next step is to start thinking about your internship search. In order to be successful, you will need to apply to at least 7-10 internship sites (or more!) well before departing for D.C. The purpose of this webpage is to guide you on how to conduct your search, as well as to familiarize you with the various resources available to assist you. We are here to help, but ultimately it is your responsibility to obtain an internship.
ASSIGNMENT: Complete Steps #1-3 BEFORE the Internship Search Meeting:
STEP 1: THINK ABOUT YOUR GOALS
–> ACTION: Review and take the Goals Assessment.
STEP 2: BRIEFLY REVIEW THE ONLINE RESOURCES TO HELP YOU FIND AN INTERNSHIP
–> ACTION: Review the Internship section of the UCDC Website.
STEP 3: GET FEEDBACK ON YOUR RESUME
–> ACTION: Before applying to UCDC, you should have uploaded a PDF of your Resume to VMock. If you did not, please do so now. Once your resume has been reviewed by VMock, you should be able to go in and take a screen shot of your score and feedback. IMPORTANT: Your goal is to be in the Green Zone, but your numerical score is not critical. Have a copy of your feedback and resume available to refer to in Internship Search Meeting.
***************At the Internship Search Meeting, we will review steps #4 & 5**********************
STEP 4: IDENTIFY THE APPLICATION PROCESS AND DEADLINES FOR 7-10 INTERNSHIPS
When conducting your research, you should at least read the organization’s web site, both generally, so that you understand the organization’s mission and background, and specifically about the internship position to which you are applying. Take note of application deadlines. You will be given access to the UCDC Symplicity Internship Database in May, and you should search both on our website and also in the UCDC Database for internship leads.
NOTE: Most of the country functions on a semester system, so most internships are advertised for a semester. Many internships will be advertised for “Fall Semester” and may run from late-August through December, but many internship sites will accept quarter-length students. When contacting potential internship sites, be sure to specify the dates that you will be in Washington, D.C. and ask if the internship site will accept applications for your time period – even if the deadline has passed. Always contact the internship sites to ask if they can accept students during the dates you will be there (unless they explicitly state not to contact them). In many cases, they can!
STEP 5: PREPARE YOUR APPLICATION MATERIALS AND APPLY BEFORE APPLICATION DEADLINES
Each internship site will require different application materials. These may include some or all of the following:
- Resume
- Cover Letter – state that you are a UC Irvine UCDC participant and include your dates and the hours per week you wish to intern.
- Writing Sample – follow the instructions given by the internship site. Sometimes they have a specific prompt, or sometimes they just want to see that you can write well. If they don’t have a prompt, submit a short (2-4 page) piece of written work you have submitted in a class (that you are proud of!). Ideally, it should relate to a topic aligned with the organization.
- Letter(s) of Recommendation – some sites may want more than one letter of recommendation (1-3), so if you only submitted one with your UCDC application, you may need to get more.
- References – do not include unless requested, but do have a few people in mind to ask to serve as a reference, if needed.
The UCI Division of Career Pathways is an excellent resource for help with preparing these materials. Use them! This web site contains: handouts with tips for writing a resume and cover letter (including samples), online workshops, resume critiques through VMock, and one-on-one Zoom appointments with Career Counselors.
–> ACTION: REMEMBER: have your resume and VMock feedback available to refer to at the Internship Search Meeting.
Here’s to an exciting first step! We will talk about the process in more detail at the Internship Search Meeting. “See” you on Zoom then!