Finding Internships in Chicago

Posted on July 15, 2008

With summer about to end, many Chicago area college students may feel like they missed their chance to participate in an internship program for the year. Although the three month break period may be the most popular time for interning, Chicago internships can still be found during the school year.

According to a survey conducted by CBcampus.com, 61 percent of hiring managers that responded said that they would be looking for interns during the fall term. Of those who said they would have an internship program going during the school year, 44 percent said that they would consider hiring interns as full-time, permanent employees.

Although participating in a fall internship program can require more time management skills than a summer program, fewer students apply and therefore there is less competition for each available slot. Because of this, it is often easier to obtain a position with a more prestigious company during the fall semester. If handling an internship, going to school and working a part-time job sounds like to much to handle, you can always try for a paid internship in Chicago. According to CBcampus.com’s survey, 36 percent of hiring managers said that they pay their interns. Another 14 percent said they have both paid and un paid positions.

For those considering taking on an internship this fall, now is the time to begin looking. The survey found that 84 percent of managers working for companies with Fall internship programs said they would be hiring interns between the months of June and September.

In order to locate your best possibilities, schedule a time to sit down with your academic advisor or a member of your college’s career department to outline your internship goals. Once these have been established, request information on all of the available positions correspond with what you hope to achieve. After looking into each position, do not hesitate to apply to more than one company. This way, even if you aren’t chosen for by your first choice business, you still have the possibility of other offers.