Office for Career Success

ALL matriculated students (full-time, part-time, online, graduate and undergraduate) have assigned Career Educators.

Career Educators are assigned to each school. This information should be viewable in Navigate, however if you cannot find this information, please contact Career Success.

We strongly encourage all students to start acquiring work experiences during their first year of college. Internships are available as early as the 2nd semester of the freshman year. Internships can be done during any semester of the year (fall, spring, summer). Students should always check directly with their faculty advisor and career educator, as there are specific timelines for various internship sites.

An internship or job interview is a two-way street. The job of the interviewer is to determine whether or not you have the skills and attitude that make you the best fit for the position. You also have to determine whether the company and the position is a good fit for you. The best way to do this is by asking the interviewer questions during the interview. Usually, the interviewer will ask, “Do you have any questions for me?” Your response should always be, “yes.” Saying no or having no questions prepared tells the employer that you might not be motivated to work or that you do not put in effort to be prepared, which can reflect on the effort you put put into the job. Employers make judgments about you based on the questions you ask. Make sure that you ask good questions.

• Do your research on the company and ask questions related to the company and your position
• Don’t ask about salary and benefits during your initial interview
• Don’t ask general, bland questions. Know the industry and lexicon
• Ask open ended questions and not questions that can be answered with a “yes” or “no”

Here are examples of questions you can ask the interviewer during the interview:

• How does the department relate to the overall organization?
• What are the values that make up the organization’s culture?
• What kind of work assignments might I expect the first six months on the job? What will be my day-to-day responsibilities?
• How often are performance reviews given?
• Are there opportunities for professional growth and advancement?
• In what ways is a career with your company better than one with your competitors?
• Is this a new position or am I replacing someone?
• Can you tell me about the individual to whom I will report? What is their management style?
• What characteristics do achievers within this company share?
• What are the next steps?

You can find more interview resources and questions to ask at Interview Central and by participating in mock interviews to help you prepare.