Many different summer internships now available to provide students with hands-on experience
By Michael Houston
Alice Cooper's 1972 hit song "School's Out" mentions "No more pencils/No more books ...School's out for summer."
However, the song fails to discuss the impending 40+ hour work weeks required for students to gain some work experience and pay bills.
While you may not have all day to lounge around, a summer job doesn't consume all of your waking hours. Most students have time to balance an internship with another summer job to earn some extra money.
Internships through UP are either paid or unpaid, and students can earn one to three credits while working three to nine hours per week. The paid internships are highly sought after, but are the ideal thing to get, Ken Koopmans, the associate director of career services, said.
Summer jobs, whether related to your major or not, are not taken for crecit and are another source of experience and income. The Career Services website (www.up.edu/career) has a link for internships and other summer jobs for students to browse for information.
Some student jobs over summer, however, may be a dull reminder of old high school jobs. Several babysitting/nanny opportunities are on the Career Services' list of job postings, as well as a position as a chip packer for Frito-Lay.
Mary Hannon, a junior history major, currently photocopies stacks of papers nine hours a week for college credit at the Multnomah County Office. She also spends a lot of time organizing documents.
While these don't seem like the most exciting jobs, the experience makes it worthwhile in the long run. Hannon said "it shows that you're getting out there and being active" to future employers or graduate schools.
With law school on her list of post-graduation possibilities, Hannon also noted that she had the opportunity to sit in on a few court hearings at her unpaid internship, which could turn into a paid job this summer. She also said that she still has time to work a paid job on-campus during the school year to earn some extra cash.
Koopmans sees a lot of students come into Career Services, located in the lower-half of Orrico Hall, at all times during the school year. In the main room, there are several resources for students, including books with listings of firms in Portland that do work in your field of interest.
The biggest mistake students make, Koopmans said, is they "look at the job title rather than the company." He said students should look for a firm/company that focuses on their area of interest and then look for job opportunities.
Career Services provides assistance with resumes, cover letters and interviews for students. They try to help find contacts through a combination of alumni and supervisors people at Career Services know at firms in the area to get students as much face-time as possible.
Some campus jobs in marketing, public relations and for the Office of Volunteer Services can also be taken for credit. These jobs are ideal for students who live near campus or don't have a car to commute ling distances, Koopmans said.
Job fairs on campus are another opportunity for students. The annual SWE Science and Technology job fair was earlier this semester and the upcoming First Avenue job fair is on April 4.
Students can register for next month's job fair, which will include firms in almost all areas except for engineering, at olapcfirstavenue.com.
Summer internships and jobs, though sometimes boring, at least will set you apart from other college graduates. Koopmans said he often sees students graduate with little to put in their resume other than relevant coursework.
A job within your discipline, Koopmans said, also "let's you know what you're getting into" after you graduate.
