Office for Career Success

We have a specific Career Educator assigned to each school. Please contact Career Success if you are not sure which school you are assigned to.

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.

You can prepare for an internship in the following ways:

• Participate in on-campus recruiting (e.g.,info sessions/tables, interviews, job fairs)
• Work with your Career Consultant to identify potential employers
• Log on to the Bison CareerLink to review position announcements, and
• Create a network of contacts such as friends and family.

The Career Center coordinates various Employer Information Sessions throughout the school year. Internships are also posted on the Bison CareerLink and in the Career Library. You can also check with your major department to see if they have information about internship placements related to your major field of study. The best way to learn more about securing an internship is to visit the Career Center.

The Career Center at Gallaudet University strives to prepare students for their career aspirations. We maintain a database on Bison CareerLink of employers that students and alumni can utilize to search for internships and jobs. The information that is provided in the database is available to allow individuals to search for places of employment that best fit their interests, experience, skills, education, and career goals. Due to the volume of job and internship opportunities that we post on our BCL database, we are unable to screen each employer’s posting. As part of the job search process, we recommend that all applicants thoroughly research companies, organizations, agencies and individuals who post internship and job opportunities on our database. It is in the individual’s best interest to obtain information on potential employers for validity and security purposes. Other resources for off-campus employment include, but are not limited to:

• USAjobs.gov
• CareerBuilder.com
• Indeed.com
• Internships.com
• Idealist.org
• internweb.com

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.

Bison CareerLink is a NACE Link Network Career Services Manager (CSM) database system. It is Gallaudet University Career Center’s online resume and recruiting system. Bison CareerLink (BCL) provides Gallaudet students and alumni an array of information and services to assist them with their career and employment exploration. It includes on campus student employment opportunities, off-campus employment listings, and internship information. Students and alumni can post their resumes on Bison CareerLink (BCL) for perusal by potential employers. Current students can also make appointments with their Career Consultant or other Career Center staff. Additionally, through BCL, students and alumni can obtain information about Career Center up-coming events. Employers can use BCL to post internship and job availabilities, view students’ resumes, and sign-up for information tables, on-campus recruiting events, mock interviews and register for the bi-annual Internship and Job fairs.