OVERVIEW
ELIGIBILITY
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
APPLICATION AND MATCHING PROCESS
APPLICATION DEADLINE
UPCOMING DATES FOR EXTERNSHIP PROGRAM
EXTERNSHIP SITES
APPLICATION FORM
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
OVERVIEW
As an undergraduate student, it is likely that you have now settled in to your environment at Penn. Having made the transition into college life, you have sorted through challenges and opportunities as they relate to academics, relationships, and activities. At this point, you may feel the need to assess your interests in career options while there is less pressure to make a "final" decision. The internship experience is often a great way to test your interest in a career. However, time for internships can be limited during the school year. With that in mind, Career Services offers the externship program for Wharton Undergraduates. The externship program is designed to allow Wharton undergraduates to gain exposure to a Penn alum's or other employer's work environment.
ELIGIBILITY
Wharton undergraduate sophomores (December 2010, May 2011 or August 2011 degree candidates) are eligible to participate in the January 2009 externship program.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE
To be eligible to participate in the externship program, you will need to complete a brief Externship Application Form (you can access the form at the bottom of this page) and submit your resume - it's that simple!
APPLICATION AND MATCHING PROCESS
All applications will be reviewed after the application deadline has passed. Once applications have been read and processed, students will be matched with externship sites. Students who are assigned to externships will be expected to meet with a Wharton career counselor to review guidelines, confirm commitment to the externship, and contact the externship host to arrange for a mutually convenient time for the externship.*
*We will make every effort to place all interested students in suitable externships. However, we cannot guarantee placement for all students. Since the primary purpose of the externship program is for career exploration, note that students who have relatively less exposure to the career field and who submit well thought out applications are given placement preference. Location may also be a factor in matching externs with externship hosts.
APPLICATION DEADLINE
The application deadline for the January 2009 externship program is Monday, November 24, 2008.
UPCOMING DATES FOR EXTERNSHIP PROGRAM
January 2009 Externship Program: January 2, 2009 - January 9, 2009*
May 2009 Externship Program: May 13, 2009 - May 29, 2009*
*Dates for the externship program are subject to change
EXTERNSHIP SITES
Career Services is currently recruiting externship sites for the January 2009 externship program. To get a glimpse of the variety of externship sites available during our last externship program in May 2008, visit:
http://www.vpul.upenn.edu/cgi-bin/dbsearch.pl/careerservices/wharton/externship/externsearch.cfg
APPLICATION FORM
Externship Application Form (the application form for the January 2009 program will be available in October 2008)
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is an externship? What are some externship activities?
An externship is job shadowing experience that provides you with the opportunity to observe firsthand a "day in the life" of a professiional in a career field. The primary purpose of the externship program is career exploration. Students who have participated in the externship program in the past have been a part of some of the following activities:
- Shadowing one or more professionals
- Attending meetings and presentations
- Touring the work site
- Conducting informational interviews with professionals in various departments and/or at various levels
- Participating in daily operations that will provide an extern with hands-on exposure to the career field/industry
- Completing a relevant project if the externship is long enough to accommodate it
What are the benefits of an externship?
- Learning more about a job or occupation
- Understanding what a particular job is like on a daily basis
- Expanding your network of professional contacts
- Experiencing the culture of an organization
- Having your questions about a job or occupation answered by professionals in the field
How long is an externship?
Externships range in length of time but are usually 1 or 2 days. Final decisions on the length of any externship are at the discretion of individual externship hosts.
How are externship placements determined?
Externship placement decisions are made by Career Services - not externship hosts! Decisions will be made based on application materials submitted and geographic factors. Be sure to apply for at least 3 externship sites of interest to increase the likelihood of placement in the program.
Where are externship placements located?
Externships are located in cities across the country and around the world.
Who serves as externship hosts?
Externship hosts include Penn alumni and employers who recruit Penn students for employment opportunities.
Do I need to be available during the entire externship period to be eligible to participate in the externship program?
The dates for the externship program are a window of time when classes are not in session - since externships are usually 1 or 2 day experiences, you are not expected to be available for the entire length of the program. However, we do ask you to be flexible during that period of time for scheduling purposes and you are required to participate and complete any externship you are matched with and agree to pursue.
Who pays for externship expenses?
Any costs for the externship program are expected to be covered by the student participating in the externship. Thus, be sure to select externship sites in locations that will minimize any travel, meal or lodging costs.
Who can I contact for questions about the program?
Email David Ross, Associate Director, with any questions about the program.
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Page updated May 28, 2008
