Career readiness builds over time. You might start by exploring career possibilities, spend time learning what a profession is really like, and eventually put your skills to work through an internship or other hands-on experience.
Wherever you are in your career journey, you can use the Hub to find the experiences, tools and support available through the Center for Career Success and across Longwood.
Where Does Career Experience Fit Into Your Journey?
Career Success organizes work-based learning around four stages:
Career Awareness Career Exploration Career Preparation Career Experience
Together, they provide opportunities to discover what interests you, explore career paths, build professional skills and prepare for life after Longwood.
Career Awareness
See What’s Possible
Start learning about careers, industries and opportunities while building an understanding of where your interests and strengths might take you.
Explore:
- Career Fairs & Networking Events — Meet employers, alumni and other professionals and learn about opportunities.
- Panel Discussions — Hear directly from professionals working in different industries.
- Career Coaching — Get one-on-one guidance as you explore majors, careers and next steps.
- Career Assessments — Explore your interests, strengths, personality, and potential career paths by booking a Skills and Personality Assessment coaching appointment.
Career Exploration
Get a Closer Look
Once you have some ideas about where you might want to go, career exploration experiences can help you see what different kinds of work are really like.
Work Shadow
Spend time alongside a professional or alum to observe day-to-day work, ask questions and get a firsthand look at a career field.
Career Treks
Visit employers and workplaces to learn more about careers in a particular field. Career treks are arranged in partnership with academic departments; ask your department about available opportunities.
Informational Interviews
Talk with professionals about their work, career paths and industries. Career Success can help you prepare to build professional connections.
Teamship
Work on a structured group project for an employer through Longwood’s Teamship pilot. Teamship offers another way to explore professional work while gaining experience solving real-world problems as part of a team.
Micro-Internships
Build experience through a short-term, project-based opportunity with an employer while exploring a career field and developing professional skills.
Career Preparation
Put Your Skills to Work
Ready for more hands-on experience? These opportunities allow you to apply what you're learning, develop professional skills and gain experience in a workplace or professional setting.
Internships
Gain hands-on experience related to your interests or field of study. Internship opportunities may be credit or non-credit, depending on the experience and your academic program.
Virtual Internships
Take part in a facilitated remote internship experience through the Center for Career Success. This is a pilot program and students are invited to apply via email in the spring for summer internships.
Practicums, Clinicals & Student Teaching
Some academic programs include required professional experiences such as practicums, clinical placements or student teaching. Requirements vary by major, so check with your academic department for details.
Career Experience
Prepare for What Comes Next
As graduation approaches, the experiences and connections you've built can help you take the next step toward full-time employment or graduate school and wherever life takes you next.
Career Success can help you put those experiences to work through job-search support, career coaching, employer connections and other resources.
Ready to Find an Internship?
The Center for Career Success can help you prepare for your internship search, strengthen your application materials and find opportunities that fit your goals. Explore the resources below to build your readiness and take the next step toward an internship.
Build Internship Readiness
Earn verified Longwood digital badges while building skills for your internship search and the workplace.
Get One-on-One Help
Meet with a Career Coach for help developing your internship search strategy, preparing application materials or practicing for an interview.
Strengthen Your Resume
Make sure your resume shows employers the experience and skills most relevant to the internship you're applying for.
Start Your Search
Explore internship opportunities, search resources and guidance on Longwood's main Internships page.
Internship Readiness Badge Series
Prepare for your internship search and build skills you can demonstrate to employers through Longwood’s Internship Readiness Badge Series.
Each badge represents a specific set of career-readiness skills. Once you complete a badge, you’ll receive an official Longwood digital credential that you can share with employers and add to your professional materials.
To learn more about the Internship Readiness Badge Series or request access to the Canvas course associated with the badges, please email your questions or access request to career@longwood.edu.
Professional Documents — Available Now
Resume · Cover Letter · LinkedIn
Interviewing — Piloting Now
Mock Interview · Feedback · Follow-Up
Internship Search & Professional Networking — Coming Soon
Job Search · Networking · LinkedIn Outreach
Workplace Professionalism — Coming Soon
Workplace Norms · Communication · Etiquette
Share Your Badge
Once you earn a badge, you can add it to LinkedIn, share your verification link with employers, include it on your resume or feature it in a professional portfolio.
Completed an Experience? Add It to Handshake
Completed an internship or another work-based learning experience? Add it to Handshake so your experience is included in your career record.
- Log in to Longwood Handshake.
- Select Career Center from the left navigation menu.
- Choose Experiences.
- Select Submit an Experience and choose the Experience General Template.
- Enter the required employer, position and supervisor information.
Sharing your internship details helps ensure the experience is added to your Handshake profile, allowing prospective employers and recruiters to see the experience you've gained. It also helps the Career Center track annual internship statistics and gives prospective and current students a better understanding of the internship opportunities available to them.
Note: If your internship is credit-bearing, your academic internship coordinator or faculty advisor will be notified to verify the experience.
Bring an Internship Workshop to Your Class or Student Group
Want to help students get started with their internship search? Faculty members and student organization leaders can invite the Center for Career Success to lead an internship search workshop for their class or group.
Students can learn more about finding opportunities, preparing for the application process and developing a strategy for their internship search.
Celebrate Career Experience
Internship & Recognition Awards
Each year, the Center for Career Success recognizes students and supervisors who make an impact through internship experiences. Recognition includes awards for both interns and internship supervisors.
Intern Awards
- Outstanding Intern Performance Award
- Innovative Intern Award
- Team Player Intern Award
Internship Supervisor Awards
- Outstanding Intern Supervisor Award
- Engaged Mentor Intern Supervisor Award
- Inclusive & Supportive Intern Supervisor Award
Nomination forms open each summer.
Questions?
Not sure where to begin? The Center for Career Success can help you find the experience or resource that fits where you are in your career journey.