Internship Help!
As a Human and Organizational Development major in the Peabody College I am to complete a semester long internship with a company around Nashville next year, my first semester of my senior year. (There are other city and semester options, but I chose Nashville cause it’s awesome!) While there is a whole office set aside to aid us in the process, much of it is done independently, from sending out resumes, going to interviews, and corresponding with all of the companies. I think the hardest part has been deciding where I want to do my internships. There are so many amazing companies in Nashville, that it is hard to choose the right one.
However, Vanderbilt provides many resources for us to be able to get a good idea of what it would be like to work at many of the companies around the area. In the HOD Internship Office there is a computer database with stories and reports from past students about the companies where they worked. These are very helpful in trying to get an idea of what a typical day would be like where we will be working and if it would be an enjoyable and beneficial experience.
Another resource that I have been able to take advantage of recently are Total Access events that bring professionals from around Nashville to sit on a panel in front of a group of interested students. Each event is themed for a different industry. Last week, I went to one on the sports industry that included representatives from the Nashville Sports Council, the NFL, the Nashville Sounds, Belmont University’s sports department, and a local motorsports representative company. They were able to answer many questions about how they got to their current positions, what their daily job entails, and other advice for aspiring sports professionals. Then, afterwards I was able to talk with and network with them at a reception. This was a great opportunity to practice my networking skills and to get my foot in the door if I was interested in interning at any of these companies.
These are just a few of the many resources that Vanderbilt offers to help students find internship and job opportunities. For more information, visit the Career Center website!