In my experience the internship has proved the best way to find an entry-level job and/or point you in the right direction for an entry-level job. In some cases a “good” internship can even be your entry-level job, which will give you the needed work experience to help propel one into more skilled work. The unfortunate fact is that most of the really rewarding internships are unpaid, or for school credit only, and the ones that are by chance paid are extremely competitive. There is a tool out there that is invaluable in the search for these internship opportunities and it’s your institutions’ career services.

My university has an entire list of helpful search engines that point students towards internship opportunities based on their field of interest and I have obtained many opportunities utilizing my university’s resources. If you are a current student go to your career services website as soon as possible, it is essential to start early, and apply to at least five programs. I you are a recent graduate the search might be a bit harder to find non-undergrad opportunities but your passwords should still be functioning and those opportunities are out there. Again, start early and apply to a bunch of programs to guarantee that you will hit at least one.

To help with the search, since in my experience it has definitely been a long process, I recently stumbled upon an internship hosted by the Institute for Humane Studies. This Institute hosts a variety of paid internships, contests, fellowships, scholarships and summer seminars all designed to educate and train students to be young professionals in a variety of fields. The seminar I recently engaged in was the topic of public policy and economics and liberty issues tailored to students interested in careers in politics or journalism. This website has so many tools and is a great starting point for the student who wants more experience, a paid internship or a direction.

I never had much luck doing the google/yahoo search thing and so I simply advise the career center at your institution and www.theihs.org, both places have pointed me in the right directions and into rewarding internships and career programs.