In many students' cases, summer internships are the best way to explore career paths and build a resume. Because they are so important, it can feel super stressful during application and decision periods. Utilizing Oberlin’s career office resources, I am so excited to share that I was able to get my dream offer for an internship studying political philosophy this summer. While the process felt daunting, I thought I would share the support and process that got me here!
Many of our school's career development resources are easily accessible through Handshake, where we can make appointments, apply to jobs/internships, and find guides for every step. After making an initial appointment with one of our career advisors and perfecting my resume, I was approved for the professional headshot booth, and from there, I started applying for internships. Because I am hoping to attend law school after graduation, I applied for as many law/politics internships as I possibly could. While I had my top choices, internships are a numbers game--I probably applied to hundreds of positions. Periodically, I met with our Law and Public Policy Career Community advisor to make sure I was on the right track.
While I applied to many general internships, some of the best advice I got at the career center was to reach out to alumni through Oberlink (kind of like LinkedIn, but with only Oberlin alumni). Reaching out to alumni in fields that interest me for advice was really helpful in building my networking skills. Simply scheduling a twenty-minute Zoom meeting is really easy and helpful to learn about the pathways former Oberlin students took to break into exciting fields. It’s a bonus when they can refer you to positions or applications at the places they now work!
Figuring out a summer internship can feel really daunting, but it doesn’t have to be. When going through the process at Oberlin, so many people and resources can guide you through each step. There are many internships that the school secures primarily for Oberlin students, reducing some of the stress, and giving Obies a better shot. I’m so excited to start my internship in DC, and learn about what all my fellow students are doing this summer!
