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Gain Experience

To be competitive for jobs in your intended career field, you will need some kind of hands-on experience outside the classroom related to your career goal. Referred to as “experiential learning,” these experiences will also give you opportunities to demonstrate skills and competencies employers care about, and build your professional network.

Career Services oversees these experiential learning programs we encourage you to take advantage of:

  • Internships: An internship is a professional experience related to your major. In most majors, you will seek out your own internship opportunities (but Career Services is here to help with that). Click the link to learn more about how internships at Boise State work.
  • Work U: Work U is similar to an internship but with some key differences. You apply to the program and if accepted, you are placed into an opportunity based on your interests. You will work on professional projects for a local organization under the guidance of a mentor. Click the link to learn more and see current opportunities.
  • On-Campus Student Employment: On-campus jobs provide more than a paycheck; they may provide more opportunities for professional development than a job off-campus. Click the link to learn about working on-campus and how to find and apply for jobs.
  • Hometown Challenge: The Hometown Challenge is a unique summer program where you get to develop a project that addresses a specific challenge within your local community.

There are also other opportunities to gain experience on and off-campus, including volunteering, Service Learning, student clubs and organizations, and undergraduate research. For help exploring your options and finding the right fit for you, make an appointment with Career Services.

Finding Opportunities

You can use Handshake to search for internships and on-campus jobs, as well as off-campus jobs, post-graduation jobs, and some volunteer opportunities.

Career Services can help you with other ways to search for these opportunities as well. Make an appointment with us for assistance.