Students
Students

Internships

Success Tips:

  • If you are interested in completing an internship experience, speak with your faculty advisor and UMKC Career Services to help you identify the best timing/semester, location and career field for you and your goals.
  • Start early! If you want a summer internship…start looking during the fall semester or early spring semester at the latest.

What Is An Internship back to top

Internship positions, otherwise known as experiential education, are windows into professional work, chances to take a career "test drive," and opportunities to explore your career choices. Like any employment process, being selected to complete an internship opportunity takes planning, professionalism, and a significant amount of effort.

An internship is a work or service experience that is related to an individual’s career goals. The internship is monitored and has intentional, specific and measurable learning outcomes throughout the experience.

Benefits to Completing an Internship back to top

  • Employment: Students with internship experiences stand out from the crowd in the job hunt.
  • Take Charge of Your Learning: Internships are opportunities for you to identify areas in your field that you would like additional real-life experience.
  • Theory into Practice: Apply theories learned in class to real-life situations.
  • Networking: Develop contacts in your field and learn more about future employment opportunities.
  • Awareness through Increased Community Involvement: Develop a greater understanding of your role and potential contributions to society.
  • Personal Growth: Solving problems in unfamiliar situations can bolster your self-confidence and may also show you where you need skills improvement.
  • New Environment: A new environment will introduce you to new challenges and opportunities to grow.
  • Research: It is an opportunity for you to gain information to help you in your academic and career exploration process.

In the 2006-2007 Recruiting Trends Report, 50% of reporting employers agreed that students should have one internship experience before graduating from college. The other 50% of reporting employers believed that students should have two or more internships experiences before graduation. As employers continue to look for candidates who have had related professional experience during college, students can improve their candidacy for full-time positions by completing internships. Contact UMKC Career Services and speak with your faculty advisor about your interest today!

Resources Available Through UMKC Career Services back to top

UMKC Career Services provides: CareerExec.com (online job database with internship opportunities), mock interviews, resume development and reviews, career counseling, networking assistance, employer information sessions and fairs, on-campus interviewing and national internship resources both online and in Career Services' library.

Internship Search Web Sites

Resources for Finding an Internship Guide

Managing Your Internship Process back to top

Click here for a basic outline of the steps you will go through during your internship search process. Depending on your academic major, you may have discipline specific requirements to complete during your internship process. Please check with your faculty advisor and UMKC Career Services for more information.

Internship Fair back to top

The First Annual Internship Fair was held on November 14, 2007. The employers below attended the event and are interested in recruiting students from UMKC for internship opportunities. Please review their career opportunities posted on both their Web sites and in our online job database, CareerExec.