Finding Opportunities

Find opportunities: your search toolkit

Start with WVU resources

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WVU students automatically receive access. Use it to search jobs and internships, register for fairs and events, build a profile, and schedule career appointments.

Eberly Career Development Center

Get help choosing targets, developing a search strategy, reviewing application materials, preparing for interviews and evaluating next steps.

Faculty and departments

Ask about research, labs, 491 courses, field placements, alumni contacts and discipline-specific opportunities.

Career fairs and events

Talk directly with employers, even when you’re only exploring. Early conversations make later applications easier.

Search beyond job titles

Students often miss opportunities because they search only for “intern.” Search by skills, functions, industries and problems you want to solve. For example:

research assistant communications data policy laboratory community outreach marketing finance GIS sustainability operations human resources UX social services content analytics public health museum environmental nonprofit government project assistant

The hidden internship market

Make a list of organizations you’d genuinely like to learn from.
Check each organization’s careers page.
Identify alumni or professionals for informational conversations.
Ask faculty, classmates, family contacts and supervisors who they know, not “Can you get me a job?”
When appropriate, send a concise inquiry asking whether the organization hosts interns, research assistants, project help or job shadowing.

Safety check: Be cautious if an employer asks you to pay money, buy equipment with a check they send you, move money, share banking credentials, or communicate only through personal messaging apps. Verify the organization independently before sharing sensitive information.

Academic credit at Eberly: Know before you commit

Eberly currently lists two academic internship pathways:

ARSC 491

Supports cross-disciplinary learning outside the scope of your major.

Department/program 491

Focuses on learning outcomes within your discipline.

Academic internships include supervision and academic work in addition to the workplace experience. Eberly Student Internships: forms and details

Important: Requirements vary by major and program. Before promising an employer that you’ll receive credit, talk with your academic advisor, your department or program internship contact, or Eberly staff about eligibility, approvals, registration, deadlines, supervision and required assignments.

Questions to ask before registering

Does my major require an internship, field experience, practicum or other high-impact experience?
Who must approve the site and experience?
What forms and signatures are required?
How many credit hours are appropriate, and what work-hour expectations apply?
What academic assignments or reflections are required?
Can I receive credit for a paid internship?
Can an existing job qualify if the learning is new and appropriately supervised?
What is the registration deadline?
Are there prerequisites or GPA requirements?

Paid vs. unpaid

Compensation varies by employer and field. Consider your financial needs, transportation, housing, schedule and the learning value of the opportunity.

Academic credit and pay are separate questions: a role may be paid and for credit, paid without credit, or in some settings unpaid.

If you’re uncertain about an arrangement, ask Career Development and your academic program before accepting.

Not sure where to start?

Meet one-on-one with a Career Development Specialist for internship strategy, application materials, interview preparation, career exploration and next-step planning.

Book an Appointment Search Handshake

Internships & Experiences