One question I have been getting a lot is how to find an internship during covid-19. As many in-person internships have come to a halt, there have been others that have switched to online.
While it is a tough time, there are still opportunities out there for public health internships. However, you may have to try a little harder than usual. This is especially true as most internships have shifted to online formats.
Don’t despair there are opportunities out there, you just have to be diligent and proactive.
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(Related: How To Find An Out Of State Internship)
Before You Start
You should always try to start with the end in mind. That being said, it is a global pandemic and thus you should try to do more than just this.
Opportunities may be harder to come by. And for that reason you have to be proactive in your searching. If you’re looking for an internship for the start of the new year, you should already be putting out feelers. If you haven’t done so yet, be sure to use the resources in this article as soon as possible.
It’s always good to also have an idea of what skills you will want to build on. This will help you to determine what opportunities you need to hunt and pursue the most. You are going to get tired so try to put the most amount of your energy into the roles that will suite your growth and development most.
Job Search Websites
Many organizations are still offering internship positions through online applications. This is still the case for many states with contact tracers and other related roles. Additionally, there are more positions that are hiring remotely and this will probably continue.
The websites I recommend to look at first are:
- Indeed
- Google Job Searches
- PublicHealthJobs.com
If you do not have internship alerts on as yet, you should put them on ASAP. You will want to streamline the internship alerts to your inbox to help you manage your stress. Remember to search broadly as well as specific in terms of opportunities. ‘Public Health Internship’ is always a great term to start your search off with.
If you see opportunities on these websites, I would recommend you check to see if you can apply directly to the organization’s website instead of using the job search website portal.
Through LinkedIn
LinkedIn is a great place to not only find job openings, but to reach out to people to find possible opportunities.
Find organizations that you interested in. Or just persons at organizations you are interested in. Reach out to these people for informational interviews with the hope of learning more about the organization and projects they are working on.
This will help you to build your network and you can always find out about possible opportunities for you to intern on a project. Or you can even find out about other opportunities at other organizations through this new found connection. Remember to follow back up and finish up your conversation with next steps or a timeline to reach back out.
LinkedIn is a great resource to see other people’s career progression which can help you learn what sorts of opportunities you should try to get while you a student. LinkedIn is probably one of the best places you can find internship opportunities that are not being advertised.
Additionally, look for LinkedIn groups that can help you make connections or find openings.
Internship Coordinator
If your best friend isn’t your school’s internship coordinator and you’re looking for an internship, you are probably doing something wrong.
Internship coordinators are and will be a great resource when you are looking for an internship. If you are able to make friends with your internship coordinator, do so. They are the number one resource for internship sites in your geographic location and sites that current and past students. Just be wary they might be overwhelmed withs students so be kinda and patient.
Reach out to them not only for internships they know about, but also for list of organizations that you can reach out to or search up on LinkedIn for more information.
(Related: How to search for jobs during Covid-19)
Professors
As with your internship coordinator, professors are going to know about opportunities or people that may be able to get you internships.
This is another opportunity to build on your network. Your professors may have projects that you may be able to support in an intern capacity. Or they will know of opportunities throughout your college as well as throughout other colleges and possibly other universities/organizations.
Reach out to your professors to find out if they will have any new opportunities for potential internships.
I’d add that you can team up with another student to tackle a potential project on your own time instead of an “internship” per se. Take a project you did in class and try to implement it into real life or do some research (community based research would be very fitting).
Pursue An Independent Project
As I ended the last point, having a project that you want to work on can be a great alternative to an internship. It even shows that you are proactive and you can talk about it in your cover letters and interviews.
Independent projects that make an impact can be one of the greatest things to put on your resume – it can help set you apart.
Independent projects can be valuable and rewarding experiences. And a great thing about independent projects is that you can choose your scope and what you do which can make it an even more valuable experience. Additionally, you could always team up with other students to work on a larger project together. Team work can really make the dream work.
Opt to Volunteer
I know it may seem bleak as you look for your internship. And if all goes badly, you can always fall back into a volunteering role.
Volunteering is a great way to get experience in an organization without officially being an intern.
As well as a public health student it is always great when you are able to give back to a community especially during this pandemic. Use the time as a volunteer to build connections while also looking for your next internship position. Some universities may even have grant funds available that you can apply for to support yourself while you are volunteering.
Check out potential volunteer opportunities on sites like:
Take Online Courses
While online courses are not the same as an actual internship experience. Courses can help you to sharpen up on skills that can then help you get an internship.
Tableau, LinkedIn Learning, and Coursera are easy places you can find courses that can help you develop important skills.
Use your time to learn new skills and build confidence in yourself. This could help you in adding skills to your resume. Also look for opportunities for professional development.
Part/Full-Time Work
Though you may not be able to get an internship, that doesn’t mean you can’t apply for part-time or full-time positions in lieu.
As with looking for an internship, you can use many of the same techniques to look for a job. I know for me I had an “internship” that was essentially a part-time position. The point of getting the internship/job was to build on skills that would be essential for your next stage of your career.
So find positions that are going to help you build on needed skills while also expanding your network! Part time or full time work can be a great way to get involved if you aren’t finding any internship positions.
(Related: Career Chat With The Public Health Millennial)
Summary
Searching for a public health internship during covid-19 can be tough. Hoping this guide can help you to better navigate your path for finding an internship or getting more experience.
- Before you Start
- Job Search Websites
- Through LinkedIn
- Internship Coordinator
- Professors
- Pursue an Independent Project
- Opt To Volunteer
- Take Online Courses
I hope you find value and are able to find an internship.
How are you aiming to get an internship during covid-19?
