So you’re searching for an internship.
It is — as it always seems to be — internship application season. Before coming to UC Berkeley, I hadn’t given much thought to internships, but once I got here, it seemed like the word was used in every other sentence. I quickly learned about the merits of securing an internship as a college student, whether it be during the school year or over summer, and started applying to them myself.
This blog is your ultimate guide to searching for internships. It’s by students, for students, featuring information on where to look for internships and how to determine which internship is right for you, as well as internship prep tips from a student who’s successfully secured multiple.
Where do I search for internships?
Similar to searching for scholarships, searching for internships has never been simpler. There are several comprehensive internship and job databases out there, and if you employ filters to tailor your search, you’ll substantially cut down the amount of time it takes to find positions that fit your skillset and future goals.
I’ve compiled a list of places where you can start your internship search. It includes general resources and resources specific to UC Berkeley students.
If you haven’t used My Berkeley before, this is your sign to start. My Berkeley provides single sign-on access to two different resources: the My Berkeley Alumni Portal and the Berkeley Discovery Opportunities Platform.
The My Berkeley Alumni Portal is a dedicated space for UC Berkeley students, alumni, faculty, and staff to support one another through career guidance, mentorship, and networking. You can use it to find jobs and connect with people in your desired career field.
The Berkeley Discovery Opportunities Platform — formerly known as the Discovery Database — is a centralized hub used by more than 20,000 undergraduates to find research and public service positions, scholarships, and other learning opportunities.
Handshake through Berkeley Career Engagement
If you’ve been at UC Berkeley for more than a few days, you’ve probably heard of Handshake, and for good reason. This recruitment platform is the most common way my friends have found internships and jobs. The best part is that it suggests jobs for or at UC Berkeley, which is particularly convenient if you’re a student with a few more years left here.
Your Handshake account is automatically created for you as a UC Berkeley student. It is available to you during your time at UC Berkeley, and for up to five years after your graduation.
City and county newsletters or websites
Cities, counties, and other government agencies typically recruit interns multiple times a year, every year, so I highly recommend looking into internships with them. Working a government internship doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be writing policies or canvassing — though there are, of course, many positions that let you do just that. Government internships can also look like technical writing for libraries, project management for information technology (IT), or bridge engineering for the transportation department.
The College to County Mentorship Program for Multnomah County in Portland, Oregon is how I found my first internship. The program aims to equip students from underrepresented communities with high-paying, quality county internships to introduce them to the possibility of a government career.
Company websites
Many students have specific companies they’re interested in working for. If a company regularly recruits interns, they should have an internship or career portal on their website that you can use to directly apply to positions. Directly applying to a company can be intimidating, but the possible gains far outweigh the possible losses. I have multiple friends who’ve secured internships by doing this, and if they didn’t muster up the courage, they would’ve never had the opportunity to work their dream gig!
Megan, Class of 2026, posing with a Minion while she was interning at NBCUniversal.
Indeed is the most popular job site in the world. It’s a comprehensive database of internship and job opportunities, and because of its popularity and size, you’ll need to use key words and filters to speed up your search.
When searching for job listings on Indeed, it is essential to read each job description fully. Many companies will require you to apply for the advertised position on their actual website, not through Indeed itself. Even if the Indeed job posting doesn’t say that, it’s best practice to directly apply using the company website if possible.
The people around you
Many people find internships through friends, friends of friends, and mentors. If you have a similar interest, career goal, or working style as the people around you, this can be a particularly effective way of narrowing down your internship search.
“I found my internship through the Warner Bros. company’s job board, but they had been on my radar since my sister worked an internship for Warner Bros. (WB) TV the summer before.” — Rachel, Class of 2026, former Inclusion Creative & Production Team Intern at Warner Bros. Discovery
Rachel (left) and her sister working at the Public Affairs employee premiere of Superman (2025).
“I connected with current and past employees/interns at Valley Water to find my internship.” — Amarrah, Class of 2027, former Water Quality Research Intern at Valley Water
Berkeley Global Internships and UCEAP Internships
Are you interested in interning abroad? Berkeley Global Internships and the University of California Education Abroad Program (UCEAP) Internships might be the perfect pathways for you. These internships take place during summer, and students earn academic credit through them, so you don’t have to worry about derailing your degree progress.
Brendon, Class of 2025, was a tech support intern for a small marketing company in Sydney, Australia.
To learn more about the experience of interning abroad, read Intern Abroad! by former UC Berkeley Life writer Preslee, who spent a summer in Barcelona, Spain.
How do I determine which internship is right for me?
So you’ve found a dozen or so internships you’re interested in applying for, or maybe you’ve already started getting offer letters. How do you figure out which internship is actually the best fit for you?
The first point I want to drive home is that you should apply to an internship even if you don’t feel that it’s a perfect fit for you. There are bound to be positions that you really don’t have the skillset for or the interest in, but it’s a good idea to apply to as many internships as possible regardless. The internship and job market is incredibly competitive; some students apply to upwards of 100 internships before getting an offer letter, especially in more popular industries like tech. You also might end up liking a position that seems a little out of your comfort zone!
This is what happened when I was a Communications Intern for the Multnomah County Department of Community Justice Juvenile Services. It wasn’t my first choice to work an internship that didn’t explicitly engage my film and media major, but I ended up learning so much about the justice system and the people impacted by it, and I loved my work.
With this in mind, here are some factors to consider when deciding on an internship:
Salary: Each person has a different salary range in mind. Some examples of factors that might affect the salary range you’re willing to accept are whether or not you pay your own tuition or rent, have plans to relocate after college, or have familial obligations.
Your first choice internship might not pay as well as your second choice internship. This is a common occurrence, especially for creatives, and it’s worth considering if the experience and industry outweigh the pay.
Time commitment: Time commitments vary for internships. Do you want an internship that lasts all summer or just a few weeks? What about one that continues into the school year? Can you work 40 hours a week, or do you need to be part-time? These are all questions that can help you determine what internship is best for you.
Location and commute: If your internship is in-person, you’ll have to figure out how you’re getting to it. Gas costs money, as does public transit, so it’s important to do the math and learn how much money you’ll actually be making from your internship once commuting fees are deducted. If your internship is unpaid, this is even more important.
Some organizations will reimburse you for your public transit fare, and it’s a good idea to check on this right away. During my internship, interns were provided with free metro passes to take public transit into Portland.
In person vs. remote work preference: Remote or hybrid internships generally offer more flexibility than in-person internships. Still though, if you aren’t suited to remote work — and I think most of us can gauge this after the COVID-19 pandemic — you might want to opt for something in person.
Time of offer: If you’re really hoping to secure an internship for a specific season, be careful about waiting around to hear back from every company. If you’ve already received an offer that looks good and you’re getting down to the wire in terms of planning out your summer, it might make sense to accept that guaranteed offer rather than waiting to hear back from other companies. Never renege on an accepted offer, per guidelines by Berkeley Career Engagement.
What advice do students who’ve successfully secured internships have about the process?
Hillary Khuu, Class of 2026, is majoring in computer science. She’s worked several internships — both in California and outside of California, in person and remote — and graciously provided her two cents on the internship hunt:
Top tips
- Start applying early. This matters more than getting referrals.
- Do mock interviews with your friends. (Shoutout Ethan for being an awesome mock interview buddy!)
- Understand that you may have to make some tradeoffs with your course grades and exam preparation in order to make more time for recruiting.
- Remember that it’s okay to fail; don’t let that discourage you!
Personal experience
“When I was a sophomore, I had only two offers from government-adjacent companies. During summer of my junior year, I dedicated a lot of time towards interview prep and felt much more confident, but I also remember feeling really stressed in August, so try to be patient, even if it’s nerve-racking. In October and November, I had ten interviews and ended up with five offers, including ones from companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Goldman Sachs. In spring, I had more companies reach out, so don’t feel like it’s ‘over’ if you didn’t secure something in fall.
Lastly, I recommend joining communities where you can meet upperclassmen in your career interests. Communities I’m a part of include:
- Girls Who Code (GWC)
- Society of Women Engineers (SWE)
- Association of Women in Electrical Engineering & Computer Science (AWE)
- Cal NERDS
These are all great places to build community and learn from fellow peers, and if you want even more suggestions, you can read my blog on communities for women in STEM!
There are also similar communities for other underrepresented folks in STEM. Examples include:
- Hispanic Engineers and Scientists (HES)
- Colorstack, for Black, Latinx, and Indigenous students in tech
- Black Engineering and Science Student Association (BESSA)”
Hillary on her way to work at the Microsoft headquarters in Redmond, Washington. She interned with the AI Platform team.
Concluding thoughts
I hope this blog serves as a launching pad for your internship search, and that the student success story at the end gave you inspiration. If you’d like even more tips on how to prepare for and secure an internship or job, you can read Melissa’s article Internship Success Tips and watch Rico’s video How To Succeed in the Job Application Season.
People keep saying, “It’s harder now than ever to find a job”. 😵💫😵💫 Luckily Rico and The UC Berkeley @berkeleycareerengagement Center have resources to help you crush your next job interview! 💪
💻 Follow @berkeleycareerengagement for more job tips!
📄 Visit https://my.berkeley.edu to get connected and network with your fellow Berkeley alumni.
😮💨 Don’t panic!
#UCBerkeley #UCBerkeleyLife #JobHunting #CollegeTips #Berkeley
Good luck out there, Golden Bears!
Nina Takahashi, Class of 2026, is majoring in film & media and minoring in Japanese and creative writing. Cover photo courtesy of Student Affairs Communications.
Want more?
- Read more advice on the internship search.
- Explore internship success stories to motivate you.
- Take some job prep advice from a recent Cal grad.