University of Idaho political science student Rachael Miller came into her current internship more or less by accident.
“I was at the Latah County Fair, and I went to the GOP booth,” Miller said. “I talked to the people there and said, “Hey, do you have an email list? I”d love to get involved.” (Idaho District 5 Rep. Caroline Nilsson Troy) was there and she said, “Oh no way, I”m looking for an intern.””
After exchanging business cards, Miller said it wasn”t long before Troy invited her to help manage her campaign – a task Miller said she loves.
“I really like the political process,” Miller said. “I like campaigning and political parties. I care more about getting people elected.”
Nicole Campbell, a career-advising specialist at the UI Career Center, said using contacts is certainly a good way to secure an internship during college.
Ideally, Campbell said, every student would have an internship before they graduate.
“It makes it much easier to be hired in your field after graduation,” she said. “It proves you”ve already had experience in it.”
Some fields have obvious internship programs, such as accounting and engineering, Campbell said. Yet, she said she has helped students find summer work in a wide range of jobs, such as biomedical engineering, human resources for big corporations and advocacy for migrant workers.
For students hoping to find an internship this summer, Campbell said now is the perfect time to start – a good place to do that is at the Career Fair from 2-6 p.m. Wednesday in the Kibbie Dome.
Miller spent last summer interning in Idaho Sen. Mike Crapo”s office in Washington, D.C., doing things like taking calls, researching projects, writing letters to constituents, taking notes at hearings and compiling daily news clips.
“I knew people who had gone and interned in congressional offices before,” Miller said. “It”s a really competitive process – more than 100 people applied last year.”
To be considered, Miller submitted an application, a resume and three letters of recommendation. She was interviewed after submitting to a criminal and social media background check.
While Miller knew exactly which program she was applying for, she said other political science students found internships by simply sending their resumes to people in D.C.
To ensure she presented herself as well as she could, Miller said she took advantage of several services the Career Center offered. Miller”s career adviser helped her tailor her resume and LinkedIn profile to exactly what she was looking for.
“You have to shop around for an adviser to find the perfect fit,” Miller said.
Campbell said often employers will reach out specifically to hire a Vandal, and the Career Center can serve to connect students to these opportunities as well as general job boards within their industry.
Career advisers can also offer general guidance to students with questions such as where they want to go, what they want to do and whether they should take a paid or unpaid internship.
Now is the best time to begin asking these questions, Campbell said – and Miller said every student should consider an internship this summer.
“I learned so much more in D.C. than I learned sitting in class my last three years of school,” Miller said. “You get immersed in the culture of D.C. and political life, and you learn how to communicate with legislators and how the intricate details of Capitol Hill work. And you can”t learn that just sitting in class.”
Hannah Shirley can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @itshannah7