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Because internships can take on so many guises-from the formal to the informal, the paid to the unpaid-finding the one that is right for you might seem like a Herculean task. The possibilities seem, and nearly are, endless. Many potential interns begin the process feeling overwhelmed as they try to prioritize their search in terms of interest, function, location, prestige, amenities, hours, and pay. The article below will guide you through the thought process and steps characteristic of a successful internship search.

Your First Step : Reflection

My first recommendation is to forgo centering your search on the eye-catching but superficial qualities of prestige, amenities, hours, and pay. Instead, concentrate on the opportunity to perform substantive work in a field of choice. Undergraduates in particular, often don't give enough consideration to what field really interests them. They prefer instead to apply to a range of internships, usually those listed in popular internship "bibles," because they believe that practically any internship with a large company in a metropolitan area will provide them with "direction" and a valuable, marketable experience.

While internship bibles and guides can play an important role in locating an internship that fits your unique ambitions and character, you can make the most of your internship search by first thinking carefully about your ambitions and goals. This kind of reflection will often narrow your search considerably. For example, instead of applying for every paid internship with every company you can find, you might apply only to advertising firms. Likewise, if you are interested in the public sector, instead of applying to every prominent foundation and organization, you might apply only to those focusing on election reform. Thinking about your goals BEFORE you begin your internship search will give you the confidence not to waste time and energy seeking internships in which you have no genuine interest.

Starting the Search : Survey the Scene

Once you have narrowed your search to a particular field (health care policy) or function (accounting), survey the scene. Visit a local bookstore or library and dedicate an afternoon to looking through internship directories, or "bibles." Publications like The Internship Bible, America's Top Internships, The National Directory of Internships, and Peterson's Internships, are valuable because they offer you an opportunity to scan internships by field and-or location. You might also pull books off the shelves that refer to careers in your area of interest. Sometimes, internship information is included in these books. Even if it isn't, you might, for example, walk away with a list of companies doing advertising work for record labels. Take notes on possibilities that pique your interest, but use this exercise to give your search a foundation, not a conclusion.

You might also survey the scene online by visiting prominent internship sites like WetFeet.com and MonsterTrak.com (formerly JobTrak). These sites will offer you up-to-date information about internship opportunities and will be more comprehensive than printed guides, which often focus on prominent and established programs rather than on start-ups, non-profits, and small businesses.

Going the Distance : Networking

Once you have an idea of what opportunities are available, your work begins in earnest. Unless you are interested in a very narrow field, you probably have a variety of programs and opportunities to choose from. Networking can help you uncover hidden gems and narrow the programs to which you will apply.

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