1. The Internship Process:
Six Stages to Success
Public Policy majors, follow these instructions carefully to
fulfill your major requirement.
No internship, no graduation — no exceptions!
Don’t tackle this challenge alone. We are here to support you!
Not sure where to begin? Overwhelmed?
Visit the Career & Internship Services Office in Sanford Suite 257 for
guidance or make an appointment through Sanford CareerLink
2. Spend 15 Minutes to Save Hours
It takes no more than 15 minutes to review these slides, but they will save you
hours of trouble, frustration and wasted time. Getting an internship can take up to
12 months, so return to this information whenever you are uncertain about your
next step.
This presentation explains how to get an internship, covering these six stages of
the process:
1. Get ready.
2. Find internship options.
3. Prepare resume with your internship TA.
4. Meet with one of the Sanford Internship Staff to discuss options and
resume.
5. Apply for internships and receive offer.
6. Complete your requirement..
Key details and deadlines are in the PUBPOL 120 Syllabus. See Sanford
CareerLink Document Library (type in keyword “Syllabus”)
3. Know This Before You Begin
• Finding an internship is not a DIY process – it’s your job to ask for
help, and it’s our job to guide you.
• Meeting with Sanford Internship staff early in your internship
seeking process is essential to avoid missteps and wasting time.
• Getting information from an older Duke student instead of
following these directions nearly always backfires. Internships and
requirements change often.
• Planning to complete these five classes prior to the start of your
internship is crucial:
1. PUBPOL 155 2. PUBPOL 301 3. PUBPOL 302
4. STATS 101 5. PUBPOL 303 (or ECON 201D)
4. Internship Hours Requirements
• Internships completed over the school year require
280 total hours (roughly 20 hours per week if completed during a
single semester or 10 hours per week if completed over 2 semesters.)
• Summer internships require 350 hours.
• Combinations of semester and summer internships
require 300 hours.
5. Stage 1: Get Ready
• Create a Sanford CareerLink (SCL) account.
• Complete your Personal and Academic profiles on
SCL.
• Create your LinkedIn profile.
• Attend a mandatory information session. Sanford
Internship staff announces dates and times for
these sessions in SCL.
If you have problems with Sanford Career Link, contact
heather.griswold@duke.edu.
(You can’t see the Jobs & Internships or Employer
listings until these profiles are complete).
6. Stage 2: Find Internship Options
Search for internships with these resources:
Internships Databases
• Sanford CareerLink
• LinkedIn
• Idealist
• Indeed
• Brad Traverse
• UCAN & i-net (see main Career Ctr Website)
Duke Resources
• Stanback Internships
• Hart Leadership
Program/SOL/ELI/LAPI
• Summer Internships in India
• Duke in DC
• DukeConnect
• Duke Engage (a few of these
programs qualify)
• Sanford Internship staff
Watch out for early deadlines! The State
Dept., CIA and other federal agencies
have early Fall deadlines.
7. Stage 2: Find Internship Options
(continued)
• Tell your family, friends, professors and
Sanford Internship staff what kind of
internship you are seeking. Ask how they
can help.
• Create a spreadsheet using the SCL
template, listing information on at least 20
possible internships.
8. Note on Academic Year Internships
• You must complete your requirement through the Local Internship
program.
• Notify Sanford Internship staff before February 1st if you plan to
participate in the Local program or you may delay your graduation.
• Know that research with faculty will NOT meet your Public Policy
internship graduation requirement.
• Visit the Career & Internship Services Office in the Sanford Building,
Suite 257, or make an appointment through Sanford CareerLink if you
have questions.
9. Stage 3: Prepare Resume
• Prepare your resume with your internship TA
using SCL templates found in the SCL
Document Library.
• Upload your resume for approval on SCL once
your TA gives you the “OK.”
• Sanford Internship staff will then review your
resume and provide final feedback.
10. Stage 4: Meet with Sanford Internship Staff
• Schedule appointment with Sanford
Internship staff (Elise or Suzanne) via Sanford
CareerLink (not email).
• Bring your computer, list of potential
internships and approved resume to your
meeting with Sanford Internship staff.
• Take notes and email your next steps to
your TA and Sanford Internship Staffafter
the meeting.
Always put your full name in the subject line of emails!
11. Stage 5: Apply for Internships & Receive
Offer from Organization
Before you accept an internship:
• Go to Sanford CareerLink and create an Internship Record.
Look under “shortcuts” on the home page. Click “add new experience.”
When finished, press “submit.”
• The record will be reviewed within 7 business days.
• When approved, your supervisor will receive an e-mail at the
address you provided asking for approval.
Your supervisor must agree to complete an evaluation at the internship’s end.
• All internships are subject to Sanford Internship staff approval.
Even if an organization is already listed as an employer in Sanford
CareerLink, your specific internship is subject to review and approval
or rejection based on the work plan you submit.
12. Step 6: Complete Your Requirement
• Submit Student Evaluation via CL by August 5th. (Click on Internship
Record next to the red circle on Student Evaluation – icon is only there if the internship record is filled
out.)
• Meet with your internship supervisor to review your performance.
• Ensure your supervisor has completed your evaluation by August
5th. You may check the status of your internship requirements at
the bottom of your personal profile page on SCL.
• Write and upload your 5-page memo by August 5 – see next slide.
• Register for PUBPOL 120 – see upcoming slide.
13. Memo Details
• Write your 5-page double spaced memo,
using the SCL template.
• Use this file name notation: Last two digits
of the current year, last name, first name,
memo and .pdf (Example file name for Mia Hamm who
completes an internship in 2020 would be
“20HammMiaMemo.PDF”.)
• Upload to documents page in SCL by
selecting “Memo/Other Documents.”
14. Public Policy 120
This “class” is not a traditional class - it’s your internship. PUBPOL
120 is required to graduate so please note how to register for it:
1. Make sure your internship record has been approved by
Sanford Internship staff and your supervisor.
2. Then, request a permission number from
heather.griswold@duke.edu.
3. If you are doing a summer internship, register for PUBPOL
120 by June 25th.
4. If you are doing a school-year internship, please refer to the
next slide.
15. Important Deadlines
Summer Internships
May 1 – internship record
August 5 – memo
August 5 – student and supervisor
evaluations
Fall Internships
Sept 1 – internship record
November 1 – memo
Dec. 1 – student and supervisor
evaluations
Spring Internships
Dec. 1 – internship record
April 1 – memo
May 1 – student and supervisor
evaluations
To graduate on time, and to avoid failing PUBPOL 120, you must meet these
deadlines! Provide the items listed by 11:59 p.m. on the dates below.
Want to graduate on time?
We want you to also! You need to see
Sanford Internship staff before Spring Break
(at the latest) of your junior year and meet
these completion deadlines to graduate!
16. Essential Tips for an
Easier Internship Process
• Put your name in the subject line of all emails to
Sanford Internship staff.
• Use the cover letter, resume and other templates
in the SCL Document Library.
• Ask Sanford Internship staff about possible
funding if your desired internship is unpaid.
• Pay attention to deadlines to avoid missing
application dates and failing PUBPOL 120.
17. Questions?
- Do not delay getting your questions answered
so you can keep moving forward in the internship
process!
- Visit Sanford CareerLink for more information
OR to make an appointment with us. The Career
& Internship Services Office is located in the
Sanford Building, Suite 257.
