Students

In partnership with the University Career Services, Handshake (St. John's Recruiting Platform) provides full-time, part-time, temporary and internship opportunities targeted by employers to St. John's University degree-seeking matriculated students and alumni. Log on to Signon St. John's to access the Handshake resource. If you are not sure how to use Handshake take a look at the 2 minute training videos here.

Internships

Internships are a wonderful way to gain career-related experience while in college. An internship is an on-site work experience either directly related to your major or your career interest. In today's highly competitive job market, a degree alone often is not enough to secure desired employment. Many employers are interested in graduates who possess hands-on, applicable work experience.

Internships at St. John's: Academic Credit or Paid?
Many different types of internships are available, including paid, solely academic and unpaid (with or without credit). All of them offer a wonderful learning experience.

Academic Internships (Credit)
Internships offered for academic credit require the approval of your school or college's academic department. Please view the academic internship contacts for more information for your college.

Paid Internships (Non-credit)
This type of internship is an opportunity for students (first year - senior) to integrate career-related experiences directly to their major field of study or career interest. Students gain valuable on-the-job work experience, develop new skills, apply knowledge gained from coursework, clarify career choices, and establish contacts and networks within an industry. The internships must emphasize intentional learning and be well-planned and structured by an on-site supervisor. The internship experience must contribute to the student's personal and professional development through challenging work assignments.

Back to the top »

Academic Internships

Academic internships are done under the guidance and supervision of an appointed faculty member assigned within each particular major. Students participate in academic internships while they carry a full- or part-time student course load. Academic departments have specific guidelines and requirements that vary by major. The designated faculty member for the major determines if the internship opportunity meets the department's requirements with regard to the terms and conditions concerning hours required to work, compensation, academic-based assignments and grading system.

Academic Internship Contact Information
Please visit the links below for each of the respective colleges:

Back to the top »

Tips for Successful Internships

Preparation for General Internship

• Begin your search for an internship several months in advance of the time you would like to start the internship. Application deadlines for many organizations are typically 3 to 6 months prior to the start date. Beginning early also puts you ahead of the majority of students who wait longer.
• Internship opportunities are available for the Fall, Winter, Spring and Summer and occasionally may last longer than one semester. Some organizations offer compensation competitive with most part-time jobs.
• Research your field of interest to learn which companies/opportunities would be best for you to pursue. This research helps you write more targeted cover letters and better focus your resume toward your career goal. University Career Services can help you learn how to conduct this research, write an effective resume and compose cover letters that get noticed.
• Practice your interviewing skills by attending a workshop, reviewing interviewing tips and participating in a mock interview.
• After the internship, write a thank you note to your supervisor. Ask for a letter of recommendation from one or more people with whom you worked closely.
• Don't underestimate the importance of, or lose contact with, the people you met during your internship. They can be of great help to you during your job search.

Internships at St. John's: Academic Credit or Paid?

Whether an internship is paid, academic or unpaid, with or without credit, it offers you a wonderful learning experience.

Academic Internships (Credit)

Internships offered for academic credit require the approval of your school or college's academic department. Please view the academic internship contacts for more information for your college.

Paid Internships (Non-credit)

A non-credit bearing internship, this type of internship is an opportunity for students (first year - senior) to integrate career-related experiences directly to their major field of study or career interest. Students gain valuable on-the-job work experience, develop new skills, apply knowledge gained from coursework, clarify career choices, and establish contacts and networks within an industry. The internships must emphasize intentional learning and are well planned and structured by an on-site supervisor. The primary role of the supervision provided by an employer of paid internships focuses on the interns’ learning and development versus just getting the job done. The internship experience contributes to the student's personal and professional development through challenging work assignments.

During the Internship

Basic Do's and Don'ts:

• Do be punctual. Constant tardiness could be held against you.
• Don’t be afraid to ask questions.
• Do keep a daily journal or unofficial record of your assignments (for your eyes only), how you accomplished them, and what you learned. This will be useful in assessing what you have learned from your experience.
• Don’t play on the computer or make personal phone calls. Be sure that your cell phone is off.
• Do try to engross yourself in company material or information pertinent to current projects. Be alert and aware of new things that the company is trying to achieve and see if there is a way that you can be of assistance.
• Do understand the company culture, and dress and behave appropriately.
• Do steer clear from giving your opinion on politics and other sensitive issues. Office politics can be sticky!
• Don’t complain or slack off your assignments. You might feel like you are doing unimportant tasks, but if you work with a good attitude, you might eventually get bigger opportunities.
• Do take responsibility for your work, even if you make a mistake. Learn from your mistakes and demonstrate that to the person who will be evaluating you.
• Don’t take things personally. Assess the situation objectively. Furthermore, if you receive criticism, don’t get defensive. Know when to speak and when to listen.
• Do NETWORK. Professionals in a field of your interest surround you. Take initiative and try to learn as much about them as possible by asking or joining them for lunch. Talk to them about your interests and aspirations. Find someone within the organization with whom you may want to conduct your Informational Interview - you may find yourself a valuable mentor!
• Do get feedback and take interest in projects around you. This will help you understand how you are doing, and your interest might help you attain similar jobs.
• Do remember that University Career Services is here to help. Contact us at (718) 990-6375 on the Queens campus or (718) 390-4438 on the Staten Island campus if you have any questions.

After the Internship

• Talk to your supervisor about what you have achieved, and if possible, make a portfolio of the work you did so that you have concrete examples.
• Send a thank-you letter to your sponsor and to other people at the organization who made a difference in your overall experience, and try to stay in touch with them on a regular basis. This will ensure your name will stay in their mind for other job or networking opportunities.

Career Assessment Tools can assist you in learning more about yourself - your values, interests and skills - and help you make important decisions about your major and career.

Strong Interest Inventory and MBTI 

The Strong Interest Inventory assesses your interests and helps match those interests with satisfying careers.
The MBTI (Myers-Briggs Type Indicator) assesses your personality traits to gain a deeper understanding of yourself and how you interact with others and the world around you. If your Career Advisor recommends either of these tools, you will be provided with a password to access them.

Click here to begin using the Strong Interest Inventory or the MBTI once you are given your password.