What you do in the classroom is only one element employers consider. It is important to take a holistic view of your education. Having completed at least one internship and participating in clubs or professional organizations will help you be a more well-rounded graduate and job applicant.
What is an Internship?
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A structured learning experience (specific timeline)
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Provides opportunities to apply classroom knowledge in a “real world” professional environment
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Encourages you to develop and refine skills that are transferable to a variety of work settings
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Includes a position description with relevant and clearly defined learning objectives that align with your major or career path
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Provides mentorship from a professional
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Includes resources, equipment and facilities that support learning goals
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Should be paid
More About Internships
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- Gain Important Experience: Internships provide real-world exposure that complements classroom learning.
- Get Your Foot in the Door: Many companies use interns as their primary recruiting pool for hiring.
- Grow Your Professional Network: During internships, you interact with professionals beyond the classroom setting.
- Improve Your Academic Performance: Participating in internships has been linked to higher GPAs, better graduation rates and the potential to graduate on time or even early.
- Develop Key Skills: Internships allow you to hone essential soft skills such as communication, problem-solving, teamwork and adaptability
- Learn More About Yourself and the Field: Internships provide insights into your own interests, strengths and areas for growth. They help you clarify your career goals and make informed decisions about your future path.
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- It’s never too early to start planning for your internship.
- Planning well in advance will maximize on the opportunities available to you.
- Some internship opportunities and businesses may move quickly, so it is advised to get prepared early.
- Below is a general timeline to assist you with the planning process.
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- The College of Business allows students to achieve up to 6 credits at the undergraduate level and 6 credits at the graduate level for internships.
- Students achieve credit by enrolling in a 3-credit asynchronous course and completing career development coursework while in their internship.
- Internships must meet these requirement in order to qualify:
- Students must work for 150 hours to qualify for 3 credits
- The internship must align with the student’s major
- The intern should have a dedicated mentor in addition to their supervisor (Depending on the size of the organization, the mentor can also be their supervisor as long as there is dedicated time to help the intern with their personal and professional growth.)
- An internship should be paid unless it meets strict guidelines.
- Once you have secured an internship, reach out to Michelle Schwartz for help initiating the next steps in the process.
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Gianchetta Student Success Center on the lower level of the Gallagher Business Building
- The office is a great repository of resource documents to help you get started:
- Resume templates
- Resume Tips and Tricks
- LinkedIn Advice
Student Success Center Team
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To get feedback on your resume, LinkedIn profile and cover letter:
Griz Career Network: The Griz Career Network (GCN) is an easy and incredibly powerful way to strengthen the University of Montana community. Whether you are interested in mentoring or sharpening your skill-sets, the network provides resources, trainings and connections to help ignite your career journey.
LinkedIn Learning: Learn how to manage your career, from your first job search to moving up in your career to switching careers. Get the skills you need to grow your network, write a resume, interview, get a job, and get promoted. (Please note: LinkedIn offers a free month trial for LinkedIn Learning)
- IRIS Photo Booth: Get a free professional headshot for your LinkedIn profile in ELCS
Feedback from College of Business Interns
Morgan Gunther
Bookkeeper
VRTX Fitness
Briefly describe any benefits or challenges you experienced during the internship.
One of the greatest benefits of my internship at VRTX Fitness was the opportunity to gain experience across multiple areas of the business. Because VRTX is a smaller, locally owned company, I was able to contribute to accounting, marketing, management, and daily operations rather than being limited to a single department. This broad exposure helped me develop a stronger understanding of how different business functions work together. A challenge I experienced was learning and adapting to a variety of new technologies and software programs. However, this challenge ultimately became a valuable learning opportunity, as I significantly improved my proficiency with QuickBooks, Microsoft Office applications, and other business tools while developing stronger problem-solving and adaptability skills.
Is there anything else you would like to share about your internship?
Beyond the day-to-day responsibilities of my internship, I especially enjoyed learning about the technical accounting and financial aspects of operating a small business. Working with payroll, payroll tax liabilities, bookkeeping, and financial reporting allowed me to see how accounting concepts are applied in practice. I was also interested in learning about different business structures, such as LLCs and sole proprietorships, and the impact those decisions have on taxation and business operations. Seeing these concepts in a real-world setting helped connect classroom learning and professional application, further confirming my desire to pursue a career in accounting and eventually earn my CPA license.
Kaden Chapman
Commercial Banking Intern
First Security Bank of Missoula
Briefly describe any benefits or challenges you experienced during the internship.
During my internship with FSBM, I participated in real-world, real-life lending scenarios. I was introduced to professionals in and outside of the banking world. My supervisor had a clear and full itinerary each week for the other intern and me. I strengthened my professional communication skills, improved my understanding of financial statements, and got a clearer picture of what a career in banking would look like. I could not be happier with my experience.
Lillian Halvorson
Digital Marketing Intern
Pintler Group
Briefly describe any benefits or challenges you experienced during the internship.
This internship has helped me build real, hands-on skills in campaign strategy, audience targeting, and content creation, which are hard to learn in a classroom alone. It’s also given me exposure to working with clients and collaborating on a team, making my experience feel more applicable to future jobs. One challenge has been balancing multiple responsibilities and adapting quickly to new tools or expectations, but that has ultimately strengthened my time management and problem-solving skills.
Is there anything else you would like to share about your internship?
It gave me a clear, real-world understanding of what digital marketing actually looks like beyond the classroom. It both encouraged me and pushed me to grow by challenging my skills and confidence as a marketer, which made the experience really valuable!
Nikolai Figaro
IT Tech II
University of Montana College of Business IT Help Desk
Briefly describe any benefits or challenges you experienced during the internship.
I was able to get a lot of hands-on experience working with the COB Help desk, which I needed. I was able to use this experience combined with my degree to land a full-time role.
Is there anything else you would like to share about your internship?
Working at the COB IT Help Desk has helped me in so many ways, from a technical standpoint to the people side of it. I felt a lot more prepared technically and felt a lot more comfortable talking to others from a Help Desk point of view.
Reach Out to Learn More
Michelle Schwartz
Director of GSSC and Internships
t: (406) 243-6771
e: michelle.schwartz@umontana.edu
Students, please use this link to schedule an appointment with Michelle.