Career Services
G A I N E X P E R I E N C E A N D D E V E L O P M A R K E TA B L E S K I L L S
126 Slep Student Center
8 a.m. - 5 p.m. (M - F)
814-949-5058
www.altoona.psu.edu/career
GAIN EXPERIENCE AND DEVELOP MARKETABLE SKILLS
Getting experience is one of the best ways to learn whether or not a career field is right for you. It can give you the
opportunity to “gain insight” into a particular career field. There are a variety of experiential opportunities out there that
will help you gain experience, from short-term volunteer work to a semester or summer-long internship.
Experience is highly valued by a potential employer. Employers are able to see how you have developed and applied career
specific and general skills. Interests and skills are great indicators of your ability to contribute to and succeed in their
organization. In addition, full-time job opportunities may develop out of these experiences. After observing the quality of
your work, employers can hire you with confidence.
WAYS TO GAIN EXPERIENCE
Take a Class
One easy way to get a feel for a career area is to take an academic course that will give an overview of the field. If you think
that you might be interested in a business career, consider taking a course in accounting, finance, marketing, etc. If you
think you’d like to do human service work, enroll in some health and human development, psychology, or sociology courses.
The more you get involved in the course through individual projects, group work, and research papers, the more you will
gain.
Participate in Extracurricular Activities/Volunteer Opportunities
The activities you engage in outside of your academic coursework can be more than just fun. They are an excellent way to
explore your career-related interests and develop many skills you will be able to transfer later to any job. If you think you
may be interested in working with children, the elderly, a housing authority, etc., check out the options available through
www.altoona.psu.edu/service online.
If newspaper writing is a possible career choice, consider joining the staff of The Altoona Collegiate Review. If you like to
lead people and projects, consider getting involved with Student Government Association. Check out www.clubs.psu.edu
online for a complete listing of student organizations throughout the Penn State system; visit www.altoona.psu.edu/orgs
online for a listing of clubs at Penn State Altoona. The contributions you make to an activity, whether it is leading meetings,
chairing a committee, developing a project, recruiting new members, or organizing a conference, can be related to many
potential future employment goals.
Also, many non-profit employers will enthusiastically accept the services of an industrious, cheerful, and interested
volunteer. Volunteering is a great way to gain experience and contacts which can help you secure a paying job later.
Information on volunteering in the community can be found at www.altoona.psu.edu/service online.
Look for Summer Jobs/Part-time Work/Temping
These experiences differ from internships in that you are assured wages for your efforts and you’re treated as a regular
employee. The type of work involved may or may not be project-based, as is often the case in internships.
Obviously, many summer jobs may not provide professional experience or be in an organization related to your career plans.
However, they may still be beneficial in providing income and/or employment. Some students may need to work in jobs
1 • Gain Experience and Develop Marketable Skills
that provide decent wages such as construction, sales, or hospitality services. In these situations, you can develop skills
transferable to professional careers after college. For example, a server could benefit from acquiring experience in training
other employees in a restaurant.
Explore Education Abroad Opportunities
Education abroad gives a student an opportunity to gain global competence, learn a new culture, develop a foreign language,
and take classes for your major while visiting the wonders of the world. For more information, visit the Office of Education
A b r o a d o n l i n e a t w w w . a l t o o n a . p s u . e d u / s t u d y a b r o a d.
Explore Undergraduate Research Opportunities
The faculty of the college are very active researchers. Many of them seek to involve students in their research; some offer
paid undergraduate research assistantships. For an example of the types of research taking place at the college, visit www.
altoona.psu.edu/grants/current online. For advanced students, the college provides funding for independent studentdirected research projects; for information on Student Initiated Research Grants, visit www.altoona.psu.edu/grants/forms
online.
Apply for Academic Internships or Cooperative Education
Academic internships are intended to provide professional experience related to your major and/or career plans. Internships
are for credit and/or pay and vary in length. Many internships are offered for one semester or over the summer, although
some internships may provide more lengthy experiences by spanning a summer and an additional semester. Penn State
Altoona’s Academic Internship Office can be found at www.altoona.psu.edu/internships online.
Because of the size and diversity of academic programs at Penn State, resources for assisting students in obtaining
internships can be quite varied. Most academic departments and colleges have specific internship offices. Some colleges,
like the Smeal College of Business, the College of Engineering, the College of Communications, and the College of IST have
their own internship programs. In other colleges, internships are coordinated by individual academic departments. Be sure
to check with your academic college/department to identify the resources and programs in place. Cooperative education is
often confused with internships since it, too, provides professional relevant experience. However, cooperative education
differs from internships in that it is an alternating work experience blended into the academic program. Therefore, a student
will leave the University several times during the baccalaureate degree program to obtain cooperative experience with an
employer. Cooperative education is an integral part of the baccalaureate degree and must be carefully planned. At Penn
State, the only cooperative education programs available are through the College of Engineering, the College of Earth and
Mineral Sciences and the Eberly College of Science.
2 • Gain Experience and Develop Marketable Skills
SEARCH FOR AN INTERNSHIP OR SUMMER JOB
Develop a Goal for Your Search
In order for you to effectively search for a summer job or internship, you must know what you are seeking. Here are some
things to consider:
• What do you want or need from a summer job or internship?
• What kind of work do you want to do?
• What kind of organization or in what industry would you like to work?
Your answers to these questions will guide your initial search efforts. Before you can determine your necessary income,
you must consider the costs of living away from home, such as rent, utilities, food, and transportation. The types of jobs
available to you may depend, to an extent, on restrictions such as your access to transportation and your financial needs.
There are additional benefits other than salary to be gained from a summer job or an internship. You’ve probably heard
someone say, “I can’t get a job without experience, but how can I get experience without a job?” Summer jobs or internships
are one way. In the long run, it may be more beneficial to accept a lower wage just to get some career-related experience.
Determine Your Strengths, Skills, and Personal Traits
As you begin to determine your priorities, it is also important to think of what you can offer an employer as well as what
specific things you would like to get from your experience. What personal traits, skills, and knowledge would you like to
develop through the summer job or internship? What skills do you have to offer an employer?
Remember not to sell yourself short when you are thinking of what you can offer an employer. If you do not present yourself
and your skills with confidence and enthusiasm, most employers will not hire you. You must remember too, although
you want to get as much as you can from this experience, employers are looking for people who can contribute to their
organization and to the position.
Develop the Tools
A resume, cover letter, and interviewing skills are essential tools for any job search. Career Services counselors can assist
you with putting together these tools for the job search.
Locate Opportunities
There are a variety of internship resources available to assist you in your search.
• Contact Penn State Altoona’s Academic Internship Office at www.altoona.psu.edu/internships online
• Check with your academic college and register for its internship program
• U s e I n t e r n s h i p s - U S A . c o m a n d I n t e r n s h i p s . c o m; l o g i n i n f o r m a t i o n i s a v a i l a b l e t h r o u g h C a r e e r S e r v i c e s
• Register for Nittany Lion Career Network to view a variety of job postings on the Career Services Web site at www.
altoona.psu.edu/career online
• Plan to attend career fairs in the fall and spring semesters to meet with employers. Many companies come to recruit
for internship positions found on Career Services’ Calendar of Events; this can be found by visiting www.altoona.
psu.edu/career online
• Use the Internet to search for internships by going to the organizations’ home page and searching for “Internships”
3 • Gain Experience and Develop Marketable Skills
Identify and Network with Potential Employers
In addition to the resources listed above, you will need to identify and develop a list of potential employers to contact
for your summer job or internship. You can target prospective employers who may want to offer an internship or careerrelated summer job but have not posted online or through the college. As more and more companies are seeing the value
of experiential learning programs as a pre-recruiting method and as a method to add to lean staffs, prospects are good for
setting up your own internship. To find potential employers:
• Use the employer directories and the online database ReferenceUSA found at Career Services and the Academic
Internship Office
• Utilize the Chamber of Commerce at www.uschamber.com online to identify companies in your target geographic
area
• Develop personal contacts through networking, including LionLink which will connect you to alumni at https://
psualumcareer.com/career online
• Remember that there is some truth in the saying, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know.” Often personal
contacts can suggest employment leads or introduce you to people who may have positions available. As news of
openings are more often spread through word of mouth than through advertisements, your contacts can be a great
advantage to you. Develop a LinkedIn account by visting www.altoona.psu.edu/career/students online and click on
Social Media Presence.
Some Things to Think About...
• You should think in terms of a realistic timetable to send out cover letters, resumes, and applications. Popular
internships are often very competitive and “the early bird gets the worm.”
• Many internship applications are due three – six months before the starting date. Pay attention to deadlines on
advertised job postings; if you are setting up your own internship or summer jobs, start well before spring break so
that you can utilize that break to interview for potential jobs.
• The whole process may take longer if you plan to obtain academic credit for your internship.
• Set up an effective record-keeping system to keep track of deadlines, contact names, when you spoke to someone
in the company and to whom you spoke, when and where your interview is, and what the process involves after
you interview, etc. Applying to many different positions and organizations can be confusing; it’s best to organize
yourself.
• Assess your progress frequently to decide if you need to alter your strategies for more effective job search results.
Don’t become discouraged. Be persistent.
• Need more help? Consider meeting with a career counselor for assistance in developing career goals, conducting
your search strategies, or to review a draft of your cover letter or resume. You may also want to get involved in
individual counseling sessions to work on your summer job search. Contact Career Services at 814-949-5058. Contact
the Academic Internship Office to set up an appointment to discuss credit internships at 814-949-5789 or visit www.
altoona.psu.edu/internships online.
Remember...
Through internships or other experiential opportunities, you will benefit enormously from getting “real world” work
exposure. Employers expect you to supplement your academic background with work experience. Even if the career
field that you intern in and the field you ultimately pursue are different, you have developed essential work-related skills
fundamental to any job. You also get the chance to develop contacts in your chosen career. The people in your network can
be valuable for advice, information, and job leads.
This publication is available in alternative media on request.
Penn State is committed to affirmative action, equal opportunity, and the diversity of its workforce. U.Ed. AAO 12-46 srg21
4 • Gain Experience and Develop Marketable Skills