Internship Advice from Career Coach Julie Brewer

Moody’s advertising and public relations career coach Julie Brewer is coming to a classroom near you. Starting in November, professors can schedule in-class “mini-talks” with Brewer, a 15-20 minute Zoom guest lecture on career topics including resume and cover letters, career exploration, internships, interviewing, networking and job searching. Mini-talks will be geared toward advertising and public relations students, and with advance notice, Brewer can address different concepts to align with class topics.

During these challenging times, an increased number of students are searching for answers regarding career support, but may not know about Moody’s career services center. Brewer has decades of career services experience and is available to help students with any career-related activities. 

Brewer’s mini-talks will be available from this November to May 2021 on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. To schedule a mini-talk, professors can email julie.brewer@austin.utexas.edu with a preferred topic, Zoom link and calendar invite at least one week in advance. 

In the meantime, you can read on to see Brewer’s tips and advice on applying to internships.

 

 

When to apply for internships

Fall internship application timeline

Recruiting period for competitive internships: March to August

Recruiting period for many employers: July to August

Internship duration: September to early December

 

Spring internship application timeline

Recruiting period for competitive internships: August to November

Recruiting period for many employers: November to January

Internship duration: Mid-January to May

 

Summer internship application timeline

Recruiting period for competitive internships: September to December

Recruiting period for many employers: February to April

Internship duration: June to August

 

 

 Choosing an internship

 Large vs. small companies

For some students, deciding on where to apply for internships can be a difficult decision. Brewer reminds applicants that internship experiences at a large company versus a small company or start-up can vary widely. 

Paid vs. unpaid internships

Internships can be paid or unpaid depending on the company. Compensation may also vary based on industry, location or level of experience. Brewer advises that typically, there’s more competition for paid internships and they often have earlier application deadlines than those that are unpaid.

Use an application tracker to stay organized

To stay organized, Brewer recommends creating an application tracker in a spreadsheet that contains detailed information about the opportunities and status of each. Details to track for each opportunity can include:

• Name of the internship opportunity
• Company
• Industry
• Whether the opportunity is paid or unpaid
• Location
• Checklist of materials needed for the application (resume, cover letter, letters of recommendation, etc.)
• Deadlines (when application materials are due)
• Name and contact information of the hiring manager and other connections you have at the company

For students, internships are a time to try out a role or industry without a huge commitment, but it’s important to branch out. Brewer suggests asking yourself, “which opportunity is going to provide me with new experience I don’t already have?”

"Some students will want to do the same type of internship over and over,” says Brewer, “but now is the time to try something new.”

Check out Indeed’s full articles co-written by Brewer on applying to internships and succeeding in virtual jobs for information on finding internship opportunities, deciding what to include on your resume, building a virtual network and more!