How to Prepare for a Paid Internship
Wildcats who complete a paid internship are better prepared to enter the workforce with confidence. The Big 7 shows you exactly how to prepare for an internship, one step at a time. You can start your first day to build skills and confidence, so you’ll be ready to apply when the time is right – ideally in the summer after your sophomore and junior years.
The Big 7 steps are for all undergraduate students – regardless of year, college or major.
Step 1
Activate Your Handshake Profile
Handshake connects you to career resources, campus events, internships and job opportunities.
Handshake is how you’ll find part-time jobs, internships and career coaching intended for college students.
- Register for workshops, coaching and career fairs.
- Explore internships, job shadows, part-time and full-time jobs.
- You already have an account – sign in with your NetID.
If you’re new to campus or Handshake, LifeLab can help you get started.
Step 2
Get Involved or Apply for a Part-time Job
Build the skills that employers value through campus involvement, research or part-time work.
Getting involved is how you build skills and gain experience, without any prior experience.
- Develop skills like communication, collaboration, leadership and problem-solving.
- Connect with people and explore your interests.
Looking for ways to get involved? LifeLab can help you explore options.
You can use the Big 7 steps to prepare for an internship or research position on your first day as a Wildcat.
Step 3
Learn to write a strong resume. Download templates, checklists and get helpful feedback.
Learn the elements of an effective resume and how to write impactful bullet points.
- Be ready when opportunities arise
- Understand what employers look for in strong candidates
Need help with your resume? CCR Career Educators offer 1:1 support.
Step 4
Hear from a professional about what it’s really like in the careers you’re considering.
Before you apply, assess if a possible career path meets your expectations.
- Insights you can’t get online, like what the day-to-day work looks like
- Advice on skills to build and the next steps you can take
If you’re not sure how to create an outreach plan, LifeLab can help.
These seven steps will help you build the skills and confidence to apply for an internship or research position.
Step 5
Practice Interview Questions & Answers
Build confidence with interviewing. Practice now to perform well when it counts.
People who interview well practice and prepare.
- Learn about common interview questions and how to answer effectively
- Build confidence before high-stakes interviews
Practice with Big Interview, our free interview prep tool, or schedule a mock interview with a Career Educator.
Step 6
Search for Internships or Research
Learn search strategies to effectively find opportunities that match your interests.
A successful search typically takes months, not weeks.
- Many employers recruit 6-8 months in advance
- Set alerts and learn how to use advanced search tools to connect you with opportunities that match your interests
Need help with your search? CCR Internship Coaches can help you develop a strategy.
“My internship helped me gain professional and technical experience.”
– G. Karlin, 2025
Step 7
Attend a Career Fair or Recruiting Event
Explore opportunities and industries and chat with employers face-to-face. Discover possibilities you might not have considered.
70% of Wildcats report finding their full-time job through networking.
- Employers come to campus specifically to recruit Wildcats like you
- In-person conversations lead to connections, and even interviews or offers
Want to make the most of a career fair or recruiting event? CCR Career Educators can help you prepare.
The Big 7 steps are repeatable now and for a future full-time job search.
Benefits of Early Preparation
All Wildcats are encouraged to participate in at least one paid internship or research experience during their time at the University of Arizona. Students who follow the Big 7 steps develop important career-readiness skills and are better prepared to engage with employers during recruitment. Paid internships predict higher rates of employment and higher wages at graduation.
Paid internships predicted higher starting wages by almost $5K.
AY22 Graduating Senior Survey
Wildcats who talk to someone about their career goals are nearly 2x more likely to report a full-time job at graduation.
AY24 Graduating Senior Survey
Employers begin the recruiting interns on average eight months in advance of the start date.
NACE Internship & Co-Op Report (2022) & Wildcat Career Alliance (2025)
The Center for Career Readiness at the University of Arizona supports students with early career exploration, learning and practicing key career-readiness and leadership skills, and preparing to search and apply for internships and jobs. The CCR website is a virtual career center featuring digital resources for every step of the Wildcat Career Journey. The Big 7 – the seven essential steps to a paid internship – reduces the anxiety that comes with preparing and searching for an internship by breaking the process into seven actionable and repeatable steps.
College students can begin career exploration with the free career and aptitude quiz from CareerExplorer and the CCR Career Clusters Quiz. For one-on-one support, students are encouraged to visit LifeLab for help with Handshake, questions about campus resources, and opportunities for hands-on learning and undergraduate research.
Starting on their first day as a Wildcat, students should activate their Handshake account. Handshake, designed for college students, is the free career and jobs hub for the University of Arizona. It is the primary way students can learn about career events, career fairs, career workshops, and on-campus and off-campus jobs and internships. Students with a complete profile will see results tailored to their interests and major.
The Center for Career Readiness offers workshops throughout the academic year on a variety of career topics, including each of the seven steps to a paid internship. Students can register on Handshake to meet one-on-one with a CCR Career Educator or Internship Coach for career support.
Students looking for jobs or internships at the University of Arizona, in Tucson, or across the United States are encouraged to use the jobs feed on our website and to log into Handshake to create a custom search. Students can get help with their career journey and each of the Big 7 steps by visiting LifeLab, registering for Big 7 workshops, or meeting with a CCR Career Educator.
Center for Career Readiness formerly Student Engagement & Career Development (SECD)
