Common Questions from Students about Internships

You can find and apply to various internships on the Elon Job Network (EJN).

Sign into EJN and click on ‘Jobs & Internships’ and click the option ‘Search’. It will take you to a filter where you search internships, jobs and other items that help narrow or widen your preference. Click on the internship(s) you are interested in, read their description and follow the instructions on how to apply.

There are other outside resources like Indeed, LinkedIn or directly from a company’s website. Use your networks and connections. It is highly recommend having your resume, cover letter and other documents you are planning to use reviewed by the Porter Family Professional Development Center before you begin applying.

The earlier the better. It is best to begin your internship search the semester prior to your preferred placement and for some majors, you may need to begin your search one full year in advance.

An international student should look for internships on the Elon Job Network. Interstride is another great resource that we recommend that students reference. For more specific questions, please schedule an appointment with someone in the Porter Center.

You can find internships by using resources like the Elon Job Network or use outside resources like Indeed, LinkedIn or directly from a company’s website. To narrow the results for a summer internship that is local to you, filter your search by “Position Type” (e.g internship) and entering the specific location (City, State) to your search. We do recommend starting with the state first and then narrow into the city. It is important that you keep an open mind during the internship search process.

It is highly recommended to speak with a representative from the Global Education Center (GEC) in Global Commons 360 and make an appointment with someone in the Porter Center if you are planning to study abroad and complete an internship abroad for credit. If you are planning on doing an affiliated study abroad program that has an embedded internship (e.g. Shangai, London, Dublin, among others), you will be working through a 3rd party company and the GEC to secure your internship.

You do not have to have prior professional experience to obtain an internship. Although it is helpful to have prior experience, it is not required to get an internship. To be an effective intern and grow professionally, it is important to build the fundamentals that prepare you to get the internship (resume, cover letter, mock interview). A career advisor will be able to work with you on these aspects and also help you understand your strengths and how these can be communicated with an employer.

There is no base internship salary to expect from all employers. Some internships are unpaid, whereas others vary in salary from minimum wage to a higher hourly income.

You must work a minimum of 80 hours per enrolled credit hour. This is specifically for students not doing an internship while abroad through an affiliated study abroad program.

1 credit hour = 80 internship hours

2 credit hours = 160 internship hours

Of course many students are doing more hours than the minimum required!

Employers do come on campus to recruit. They come early and often! A great resource many students have benefitted from is the Job and Internship Expo, where companies and organizations across the country come to recruit Elon students. You may even be able to complete a first-round interview on Elon’s campus in the Student Professional Development Center.

Reach out to any connections or contacts that you think may be useful in aiding your employment.

Do not be afraid to utilize any connection, no matter how small it may be. It can never
hurt to ask someone for 15-30 minutes of their time to talk. Elon alumni are fantastic resources and are eager to help you out and share with you information about their company and hiring process.

Utilize the Porter Family Professional Development Center resources.

It is not possible to register multiple internships for credit that occur at the same time.

An intern with no experience in a certain industry should expect to be open-minded and willing to learn. Internships allow students an opportunity to learn more about a company, an industry and develop professional skills. It is recommended to carry around a notebook with you to meetings and to write things down. Asking questions is also a really great way to learn, too.

Elon has exceptional relationships with countless employers, so using resources like the Student Professional Development Center and/or Porter Center helps guide students in the right direction to professional success.

Utilize LinkedIn to further your connections with Elon alumni. LinkedIn has provided these resources for college students that you should take advantage of while searching for an internship.

Dress code varies for different corporations, but it is always safe to assume professional attire is required. Owning button down shirts, dress pants, nicer shoes, sport coats, and dresses are all clothing that would be useful in impressing employers. If you have specific questions, the Porter Center is happy to assist.

All business majors (except for economics) are required to complete the internship course BUS 3985 or ACC 4985. This course has a co-requisite of actively working in an approved internship. BUS 3985/ACC 4985 is designed to provide declared business majors the opportunity to reflect on their internship experience and support their professional growth through relevant assignments. Accounting majors who have completed ACC 3310 should enroll in ACC 4985, instead of BUS 3985. Speak with Robin Porter for more information.

Come with an open mind and plenty of energy. Nobody will expect you to be perfect so take note of things you can improve on to be a more productive contributor to the workplace and do not be afraid to ask questions!

Staying connected with former employers and coworkers is beneficial to increase and maintain a healthy professional network. Staying connected could mean regularly connecting with them in person or via email, phone or a social media platform such as LinkedIn.

For business majors, it is not required to register every internship for credit; however, you are required to register one internship prior to graduation for academic credit. Your approved internship will allow you to satisfy one unit of Elon’s Experiential Learning Requirement (ELR) and helps you to reflect what you have learned academically and in a real-world business setting. The internship course and the internship must be completed concurrently.

Unfortunately, it is not possible to register for an internship after completing it. You can not retroactively register an internship.

Absolutely! Either it be paid or unpaid, an internship can be registered for credit. You may also find that your internship could be part time or full time during the week.

Gaining experience and expanding your knowledge about the workplace outside of the US can be beneficial for professional development. Certain study abroad programs include internship opportunities that are registered for credit. Speak with a representative from the Global Education Center to learn more.