Happy weekend everyone! Seeing as how I have not started my internship yet- three more weeks- I figured I would take this week to explain the process of applying for this D.C. internship. It was a very straight forward, simple application process and I was able to complete the entire document during my work hours.
The first step is seeing what the museum has to offer, this goes for internships and volunteer opportunities. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has an amazing website full of articles and information about much of the Holocaust. It is actually just a great website to visit in general if anyone is looking for information on certain topics or subtopics of the Holocaust. By going to USHMM.org, clicking on the menu option at the top left of the screen and scrolling down to career and volunteer opportunities, you will be directed to a web page providing three options: Careers, Internships and Volunteering. Unfortunately, due to the new semester of interns, information on internships is closed until March. Some of the internship opportunities I remember off the top of my head are library science, collections management, outreach, and the one I was chosen for: visitor services. However, there are at least ten more options available for applicants to choose from.Once the options have been looked over and you understand what an internship entails, such as the minimum ten-week commitment and the age requirement, then you can go to the application section of the internship page.The first few questions are the average name, age, residency questions. The six other students I will be interning with this semester are from all over the country!
Next, they ask for two personal references, this is different from professional references. I used a family friend who owns his own business and a teacher that I have stayed in contact with over the past several years. Later on in the application they will ask for professional references, and though not mandatory to fill out, I highly recommended submitting at least two for it could increase the chances of acceptance. For these, I used my supervisor at the Holocaust museum in Maitland, my supervisor at the museum in Naples I used to volunteer at, and my employer on campus. I was fortunate to have more experience than most. The next few questions pertain to availability and areas of interest, which is where the research from the beginning comes in handy. They list all of the available positions and allow you to choose as many as your heart desires. I recommend choosing as many as possible without seeming to eager, so that you paint yourself as flexible and open to trying new things. The next couple questions ask about your education, where you go to school, your GPA, and any relevant courses taken and passed (passed being the key word). They do ask for grades, so I suggest leaving any class with a C or lower off the list. As mentioned in my first blog post, many of the classes offered at UCF were great to add to the list, and something the museum brought up in my interview. The whole point of the application is to prove your qualifications, the phone interview proves your passion.
Luckily, there are no letters of recommendation required for this internship even though most internships ask for them. I had two letters on hand just in case, one from my supervisor at the Maitland Holocaust Museum and one from a Holocaust teacher I had a few years back. The last few things they ask are basic interview questions: how did you hear about the internship and why are you interested?
The application process is your first impression, which is why taking your time and mentioning all of your experiences, education and assets is crucial. It is important to keep in mind that the question isn't what can the museum do for you, but what can you do for the museum? How will them choosing you over all other applicants be beneficial to them in the long run?
The first step is seeing what the museum has to offer, this goes for internships and volunteer opportunities. The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum has an amazing website full of articles and information about much of the Holocaust. It is actually just a great website to visit in general if anyone is looking for information on certain topics or subtopics of the Holocaust. By going to USHMM.org, clicking on the menu option at the top left of the screen and scrolling down to career and volunteer opportunities, you will be directed to a web page providing three options: Careers, Internships and Volunteering. Unfortunately, due to the new semester of interns, information on internships is closed until March. Some of the internship opportunities I remember off the top of my head are library science, collections management, outreach, and the one I was chosen for: visitor services. However, there are at least ten more options available for applicants to choose from.Once the options have been looked over and you understand what an internship entails, such as the minimum ten-week commitment and the age requirement, then you can go to the application section of the internship page.The first few questions are the average name, age, residency questions. The six other students I will be interning with this semester are from all over the country!
Next, they ask for two personal references, this is different from professional references. I used a family friend who owns his own business and a teacher that I have stayed in contact with over the past several years. Later on in the application they will ask for professional references, and though not mandatory to fill out, I highly recommended submitting at least two for it could increase the chances of acceptance. For these, I used my supervisor at the Holocaust museum in Maitland, my supervisor at the museum in Naples I used to volunteer at, and my employer on campus. I was fortunate to have more experience than most. The next few questions pertain to availability and areas of interest, which is where the research from the beginning comes in handy. They list all of the available positions and allow you to choose as many as your heart desires. I recommend choosing as many as possible without seeming to eager, so that you paint yourself as flexible and open to trying new things. The next couple questions ask about your education, where you go to school, your GPA, and any relevant courses taken and passed (passed being the key word). They do ask for grades, so I suggest leaving any class with a C or lower off the list. As mentioned in my first blog post, many of the classes offered at UCF were great to add to the list, and something the museum brought up in my interview. The whole point of the application is to prove your qualifications, the phone interview proves your passion.
Luckily, there are no letters of recommendation required for this internship even though most internships ask for them. I had two letters on hand just in case, one from my supervisor at the Maitland Holocaust Museum and one from a Holocaust teacher I had a few years back. The last few things they ask are basic interview questions: how did you hear about the internship and why are you interested?
The application process is your first impression, which is why taking your time and mentioning all of your experiences, education and assets is crucial. It is important to keep in mind that the question isn't what can the museum do for you, but what can you do for the museum? How will them choosing you over all other applicants be beneficial to them in the long run?
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