NYU Internship Guide: Navigating Your First Professional Step

NYU has an accommodating staff of career development professionals to support students in finding jobs and internships. At the Wasserman Center for Career Development, you have access to advisors who help you with resumes, cover letters, and practice interviews. If you are interested in drama, you can get free portrait photos taken and tips for your first audition. Additionally, Wasserman hosts numerous career fairs and networking events in different fields throughout the year for students to meet potential employers. All of these resources are completely free to use and are available to you even as an alumni!

NYU has thousands of graduates across the globe working in a variety of professional spaces. Through the Violet Network, students can connect with former grads through on-campus initiatives or virtual events. As a prelaw student, many alumni events I attend have been hosted through our undergraduate law societies. These alumni are typically professors of law or practicing attorneys across the country. Through these events, I have received advice on LSAT prep, personal statements, and building my personalized law school list. NYU alumni often appreciate the opportunity to guide and support current students in their unique career goals. 

Many departments within NYU offer on-campus work that can be a stepping stone to internships. My first professional experience at NYU was being a research assistant for my professor in the Latinx Studies department. Through this experience, I learned to better my writing and reading skills while deepening my interest in the cultural impact of the Latino diaspora. Additionally, I work as an admissions ambassador through the NYU Office of Undergraduate Admissions. This work includes engaging with a global audience through giving campus tours and writing informational articles like this one! To expand your opportunities, I  encourage students to reach out to their professors, research centers, and administrative offices. They may have student positions open which can give you valuable experience and help you build connections within the university.

Coming into NYU, I had very little experience in the legal field and had only ever done volunteer work back home. However, I wish I had considered internships beyond my already established path sooner. It was only after speaking to a first-year professor who had attended NYU Law that I started to look into law schools. Through the resources NYU provides, you can explore opportunities across a wide variety of spaces and follow where your passions take you. This could include startups, nonprofit organizations, and smaller businesses as they usually offer more hands-on experience. Moreover, with NYU being in the heart of the city, you are surrounded by a diverse range of opportunities allowing you to discover your interests with little difficulty.