| Frequently asked questions about
co-ops and internships |
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| 1. |
What's
the difference between internships and co-ops? |
| 2. |
Are
internships and co-ops full-time or part-time? |
| 3. |
Are
internships and co-ops paid or unpaid? |
| 4. |
What
are pay rates for co-ops and paid internships? |
| 5. |
Are
there fees for the Co-op / Internship Program? |
| 6. |
Can
I get academic credit for an internship or co-op? |
| 7. |
Are
internships always in the summer? |
| 8. |
What
if I want to do an internship during a fall or spring semester? |
| 9. |
Can
I co-op just in summer? |
| 10. |
If
I get a co-op offer, when and how long do I work? |
| 11. |
Can
I pick the geographic location where I want to work? |
| 12. |
Do
employers provide housing? |
| 13. |
Am
I guaranteed a co-op or internship position? |
| 14. |
Is
there a minimum GPA requirement? |
| 15. |
When
should I start looking for internships and co-ops? |
| 16. |
When
do employers advertise and hire for summer positions? |
| 17. |
Who
and where are the co-op and internship employers? |
| 18. |
Do I write or call employers? |
| 19. |
Is it okay to use email to contact
employers? |
| 20. |
How many letters and resumes
should I send out? |
| 21. |
What do I put in my resume
for an internship or co-op? |
| 22. |
What should my objective say? |
| 23. |
What if I don't have
any experience related to my major or career goal? |
| 24. |
Do I need to be registered in
Hokies4Hire to look for co-op and internship jobs? |
| 25. |
Are there internships and co-ops through
On-Campus Interviewing (OCI)? |
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|
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|
| Q: |
What's the difference between internships and
co-ops? |
| A: |
Both are work experience related
to your academic program. |
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Internships are usually, but
not always, one term.
Internships are usually, but not always, in summer.
At VT, depending on major/college, 32% to 81% of students
do an internship. (There are other kinds of work experience,
and most students get more than one type of experience during
college.) |
| |
Co-ops are usually, but not always,
multi-term; e.g. you might work fall semester, go to school
in spring semester, work summer, go to school in fall, and work
the next spring semester. Schedules vary depending on when you
need to be in school and when the employer needs you to work
(see more at Work
/ School Schedule).
At VT 82-88% of co-op students are in engineering. |
| |
|
| Q: |
Are internships and co-ops
full-time or part-time? |
| A: |
Internships can be either; depends
on employers' needs and the way each employer chooses to structure
an intern program. Some internship programs are very formal
and structured, while others offer more flexibility to negotiate
terms. Co-ops are always full-time positions. |
|
|
| Q: |
Are internships and co-ops
paid or unpaid? |
| A: |
Internships can be paid or unpaid;
this depends on employers' preferences and on the career field
and on the job market supply and demand conditions which exist.
Co-op positions are always paid. |
|
|
| Q: |
What are pay rates for
co-ops and paid internships? |
|
The compensation for co-op and
internship positions varies greatly among employers and geographic
locations. Career Services' salary
survey of first term co-ops lists the average pay rate for
VT students' first co-op work terms for several
academic majors. |
|
Each employer sets its own pay
rates; Career Services does not dictate pay scales, but advises
employers to look at the salary survey and other information
and pay competitively. |
|
Be aware that in some career fields,
unpaid internships are common and are the best way to get career-related
experience. Students who do unpaid internships do not register
with Career Services Co-op / Internship Program. See eligibility
and terminology
for more details. |
|
Students who work multiple terms
typically receive raises for their second, third, etc., work
terms. Pay rates are often based on the number of credit hours
you have completed, so your employer might ask you to provide
a transcript (you obtain it from the University
Registrar) to verify your completed hours. |
|
Additionally, some employers provide
housing and other benefits. |
|
|
| Q: |
Are there fees for the
Co-op / Internship Program? |
| A: |
Yes. Fees are minimal (not full
tuition!). See fees. |
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|
| Q: |
Can I get academic credit
for an internship or co-op? |
| A: |
You do not receive academic credit
hours for co-op positions. You do not receive academic credit
for internships when you are enrolled in the Career Services
Co-op / Internship Program. |
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For other internships, the authority
to grant academic credit is entirely determined by each academic
department; some absolutely never do, some commonly do; with
some it might be negotiable. Ask in the department of your academic
major. |
|
If your department allows this,
academic credit is usually earned by registering for a Field
Study or something similar, and usually requires you to submit
academic work, such as reports, to a faculty member, in addition
to the employer's on-the-job requirements. Some departments
offer internship seminars or courses, in which they assist you
with internships. Again, this is entirely up to the individual
academic department. |
| |
|
| Q: |
Are internships always
in the summer? |
| A: |
No. You will find the majority
of internships offered in summer, but some employers offer internships
year 'round, including fall semester or spring semester terms.
Some employers (such as tax preparers or political campaigns)
may have a busy season during the year when they employ interns
— and therefore offer non-summer internships. |
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|
| Q: |
What if I want to do an
internship during a fall or spring semester? |
| A: |
First check with your academic
department (the department which offers your major) to find
out what affect leaving campus for a semester will have on your
academic standing and your ability to get the courses you need
in the appropriate sequence. |
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If you are receiving scholarships
or financial aid, inquire in those offices what affect leaving
campus for a semester will have on your scholarship or financial
aid. |
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Determine whether or not you need
to be formally enrolled as a student at Virginia Tech during
your internship to meet the employer's requirements or for other
reasons. If so, inquire about your academic department's
policy to see if it offers or allows (or requires) academic
credit for an internship. Only academic departments may grant
academic credit. |
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If your internship is full-time
and paid, you may be able to enroll in the Career Services Co-op
/ Internship Program if you meet eligibility
requirements. |
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|
| Q: |
Can I co-op just in summer? |
| A: |
If you work only in the summer,
this is typically referred to as an internship (although some
employers may call this a co-op). However, some employers do
not offer summer-only programs. Be aware of the requirements
of each employer as you search for your job. |
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If your job is full-time and paid,
you may be able to enroll in the Career Services Co-op / Internship
Program if you meet eligibility
requirements. |
| |
|
| Q: |
If I get a co-op offer,
when and how long do I work? |
| A: |
See Work
/ School Schedule. |
| |
|
| Q: |
Can I pick the geographic
location where I want to work? |
| A: |
You can search for a job in a particular
location, but you are advised to look at all opportunities.
You should be aware of the job market for your skills and take
that into consideration — some career fields offer more
opportunity and you may be able to be more selective about location.
Other career fields are more competitive and you may need to
go where the employers have needs. Some employers may assist
with relocation and living expenses. |
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|
| Q: |
Do employers provide housing? |
| A: |
This varies widely. A very few
provide housing; some rent-free; some require you to pay rent.
Some employers provide assistance finding housing. Some provide
some financial assistance or allowance for moving and/or housing.
If you get a job offer and the employer hasn't explained exactly
what help they provide, you should ask.
You may find something helpful in housing
resources. |
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|
| Q: |
Am I guaranteed a co-op
or internship position? |
| A: |
No. Applying for a co-op
or internship position is competitive. Employers evaluate
your resume and compare you to your peers at Virginia Tech (and
elsewhere). |
|
Students with higher GPAs and appropriate
extracurricular experience are more likely to receive job offers;
but other factors are involved, especially supply of, and demand
for, student candidates. |
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Just as in any job search, employers
will evaluate your interpersonal and communication skills in
determining whether or not to offer you a co-op or internship
position. Employers look for geniune enthusiasm and interest
when deciding between job candidates. |
|
There are fluctuations in employers'
needs and in the job market. |
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|
| Q: |
Is there a minimum GPA
requirement? |
| A: |
Yes. See eligibility. |
| |
|
| Q: |
When should I start looking
for internships and co-ops? |
| A: |
For summer internships, start in
fall and keeping looking through spring — until you get
a position. Use school breaks (Thanksgiving, winter & spring
breaks) to make contacts at home, if "home" is where
you would like to be located for your internship. For co-op
positions, begin looking at least one semester before you hope
to begin work. Be aware that if an employer requires a security
clearance, it may take up to six months between the time the
employer begins considering you and the time you can begin work. |
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|
| Q: |
When do employers advertise
and hire for summer positions? |
| A: |
This varies from September to May.
January is a peak month for Career Services to receive notices
and advertisements. However, some listings are sent in much
earlier and some are sent much later — even up to the end
of the spring semester. And some employers recruit at career
fairs and through the On-Campus
Interviewing Program early in fall semester. |
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|
| Q: |
Who and where are the co-op
and internship employers? |
|
View the current
employers list to see the employers of VT students who are
enrolled in the Career Services Co-op / Internship Program.
(This is a sampling of employers whom VT students have worked
for; students who do summer internships typically do not enroll
in the program, so their employers would not appear on the list.) |
|
You are not limited to working
for the employers on the current employers list. Many other
employers also hire co-ops and interns. See where
to find co-op and internship jobs, so that you know about
all the places to look. |
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|
| Q: |
Do I write or call employers? |
| A: |
For job advertisements, do as the
ad instructs. If there is no position advertised, but you would
like to contact the employer to ask if they offer internships,
do what you're best at first: |
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• |
Write a targeted letter, to a specific
individual, and follow up with a phone call, OR |
| |
• |
Call for more information (such
as name of the person to whom you should write) and follow up
with a cover
letter and resume. |
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Consider your timeline also. For
example, if you are hoping to schedule visits to an employer
during spring break, and spring break is just two weeks away,
your time may be best spent making telephone calls or sending
e-mail where appropriate. |
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See where
to find co-op and internship jobs and job
search skills. |
|
|
| Q: |
Is it okay to use e-mail
to contact employers? |
| A: |
If the employer has provided an
e-mail address, it is certainly acceptable to use e-mail. DO
treat e-mail as a method of business correspondence and use
the same rules as for traditional letter writing: accurate spelling
and grammar, courteous tone, clear signature block with your
return e-mail address, use Mr./Ms./Dr. in your salutation; don't
assume the familiarity of using first names unless specifically
invited to do so. In e-mail, with the overwhelming amount of
junk mail we all receive, it is essential to use a subject line
that is meaningful to the recipient who may have no clue who
you are. |
|
See guidelines for
e-mail use in your job search, e-mail
business etiquette, and e-mailing
resumes. |
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|
| Q: |
How many letters and resumes
should I send out? |
| A: |
Don't send out form letters. You
know when you receive a form letter in the mail; employers do
too. Each letter you write should be targeted to the position
applied for. Keep track of whom and when you've written, and
follow up each letter with a phone call. See guidelines
for correspondence in your job search. |
|
Sounds like a lot of effort? It
is. So it's better to write a few good letters that are likely
to get results than a lot of average letters that are not likely
to get results. Write as many letters as you can handle —
doing your letters well, and doing follow-up calls. |
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|
| Q: |
What do I put in
my resume for an internship or co-op? |
| A: |
See resume
guidelines, or follow the guidelines in the Career Services
Career Planning Guide, free to Virginia Tech students by visiting
us during office
hours. |
| |
Use resume
guidelines or the Planning Guide to write a rough draft
of your resume and then come to Career Services for a resume
critique through our walk-in advising service.
You may have to do several drafts and get several critiques
to get your resume final. |
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|
| Q: |
What should
my objective say? Does it have to be detailed or specific? |
| A: |
It can be very simple.
First, make sure your objective clearly states that you are
seeking an "internship" or "summer position,"
or co-op. Don't make the employer guess. |
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Don't include phrases
like "to gain experience in my field." The employer
knows you want experience, but the employer doesn't necessarily
know what "my field" is — clearly state which
field you are pursuing. |
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Don't say "to
gain experience related to my major," because the working
world isn't organized by major, and it's not the employer's
job to be your career counselor. |
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Examples of clear
objectives are: "Summer internship related to social
services" or "Internship working with food service
and dietetics," or "Co-op position using and developing
programming skills." |
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If you are not sure
what career field or industry you want to experience through
your internship or co-op, meet with a career advisor in Career
Services; we will be glad to help you learn more about career
possibilities and how your major fits with the real world. |
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|
| Q: |
What if I
don't have any experience related to my major or career goal? |
| A: |
That's okay; that's
typical for college students, and that's why you're looking
for an internship or co-op position in the first place. |
|
Do include employment that is not
related to your career goal because this tells potential employers
several things which are relevant: You've had the responsibility
of having a job and (hopefully) know what it means to show up
on time, get along with others, follow directions, take initiative,
work with customers, and so on. If you've worked for the same
employer for a long time, been promoted, or returned for more
than one summer, this suggests you have a good track record
with that employer. |
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Do include college activities.
If you are a freshman or sophomore, it's fine to include high
school activities; by junior year, edit out all high school
activities unless there are one or two that are very exceptional
(e.g., state or national level achievements) and/or they are
very related to the career goal you are pursuing. |
|
If you haven't gotten involved
in college or community activities yet, get involved. They can
be extra-curricular or co-curricular, as long as you get involved,
take on roles in the organization and develop skills. Don't
just join organizations to "pad" your resume. Employers
can tell padding from substance. |
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|
| Q: |
Do I need
to use Hokies4Hire to apply for co-ops and internships? |
| A: |
There are co-op and
internship positions listed in Hokies4Hire.
There are employers who will search Hokies4Hire for resumes
for co-op and internship positions. |
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To take full advantage
of these opportunities, see steps
to participation; this will guide you through the process. |
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Also use other job
search methods. |
|
|
| Q: |
Are there internships and
co-op positions available through On- Campus Interviewing (OCI)? |
| A: |
Yes. You can apply for these jobs
through eRecruiting. |
| |
Be aware that OCI represents a
segment of the job market. Employers who recruit through OCI
tend to represent business, engineering, technology, scientific
and computer fields. Also use other job search methods. |
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See On-Campus
Interviewing Program for more information. |
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