Internships in NYC and Beyond

The office of the book agency where I interned. Check out the view!

If you haven't heard about it already, you might be curious to know that Barnard's Career Development office is among the best in the country.  The office is staffed by professional counselors who help you plan careers, draft resumes and cover letters, prepare for job interviews, etc. What’s even more amazing is that Barnard has its own job search system, where employers constantly post internship and job opportunities that are specifically targeted at Barnard students and graduates. I have personally benefited from the system hugely. 

First semester of my sophomore year, I became very interested in publishing and wanted to gain some hands-on experience in the industry. I began by going to the Career Development Office and meeting with a counselor. She taught me how to use Barnard’s job search engine, NACElink, and we found out that a boutique literary agency in NYC was recruiting summer interns from Barnard. The counselor helped me put together a resume and a cover letter and, after submitting them to the recruiter, I was offered an interview. I could not have been more nervous than when I was waiting to be interviewed. However, the interviewer greeted me warmly and told me that they had loved their former Barnard interns so much that they had even helped some of them find full-time jobs after the internship. This is also why they recruit specifically from Barnard every year. Having this connection, I became much more comfortable and the interview turned out to be an enjoyable experience! I was offered a position. 

Ready for work!

Here comes another piece of Barnard magic.

Because of the tough job market, many internships nowadays are unpaid. Barnard clearly has recognized the financial difficulties that students might encounter while exploring careers. And here is how school supports us: Barnard has a grant programs to help students take unpaid internships throughout the year. As long as you meet specific requirements for each semester, you can apply to be a grant recipient. 

Since my publishing internship was unpaid, I made sure that I did make use of this opportunity. Not only did I end up receiving enough grant money to cover daily expenses such as transportation and food, I was also offered subsidized housing on campus. I only needed to pay a small application fee to be able to live on campus throughout my internship. It took so much weight off my shoulders! I was actually able to focus on my job and enjoy the experience without having to worry about how I was going to pay for my Metro Card and dinners. The career support that Barnard provides for students who are just starting off their internship experiences is a significant one. 

Rows of books at the agency where I interned

And as always, Barnard goes global! Not only do local NYC employees come to recruit on Barnard campus, Barnard’s career connection extends to companies from different parts of the U.S. and even abroad. I was just offered a marketing intern position in a luxury retail company that comes all the way from the U.K. to recruit Barnard students every year. This summer, I will be exploring the European luxury/fashion market in a beautiful town right outside London. Where else could I have found such a unique opportunity, had I not chosen to become a Barnard student? 

Fangdai