How to Find Internships

Prestigious consulting firms start internship recruitment in the summer, with applications often opening in June/early July for the following summer’s internship (i.e., open 1-year in advance). These companies may conclude internship recruitment by August, so it’s critical to be aware of application deadlines and start your search early.

Boutique and smaller firms tend to align their internship recruitment cycle with the traditional timeline, opening applications in September and continuing to recruit until opportunities are filled.

Financial services internship recruitment aligns with the typical recruitment timeline, opening applications in September and hoping to make offers and fill roles by the end of the fall semester, for internships slated to occur the following summer.

Investment banks, particularly for New York-based opportunities, often start recruiting interns during the spring semester of their sophomore year for internships that will occur during the summer after their junior year (i.e., recruiting starts 18-months ahead of an internship). Engaging with these companies early is considered best practice and may yield the greatest opportunity.

For locations outside of NYC, recruitment still begins early, with applications opening in August/September for internships the following summer.

Internship recruitment in creative fields often starts later in the season, with many opportunities being posted in January–March for the upcoming summer. Some organizations recruit “as needed” and don’t have a standardized recruitment timeline. Furthermore, internship postings may close abruptly/quickly due to the high volume of applications received for some of these roles.

This timeline is later and, sometimes, less structured than most other industries, which can be stressful for students with career interests in these fields. Doing research and building connections with professionals in organization’s of interest can be a key strategy to learning about upcoming opportunities and laying the groundwork to act quickly for when internships do become available.

Non-profits often recruit interns as opportunities arise or when needed—they don’t always follow an established recruiting timeline. For this reason, building relationships with organizations can be a useful way to learn about their needs and, potentially, create your own opportunity!

Public accounting internships with multinational firms (The Big 4) are recruited for almost 2-years in advance, during the fall of a student’s junior year for an internship occurring the summer after they graduate with their bachelors degree.

Regional and local firms also recruit interns during the fall semester, but for internships occurring the very next summer (between junior and senior year).

When considering public accounting internships, it’s imperative to be open and communicative about your plans with a recruiter—many firms do not allow/want interns working at multiple organizations due to conflicts of interest. Attending events like Meet the Firms can be an excellent way to learn about accounting firms of different sizes and ask questions about their recruiting timelines.

Internship recruitment for companies in the technology sector can vary widely, especially based on the company size. Large tech firms typically open internship applications in late summer/early fall, whereas startups may not post opportunities until the spring semester, and mid-size companies falling between those timelines.

Sometimes, applications are accepted and reviewed on a rolling basis, so applying early can be a helpful strategy.