Navigating the job world outside Claremont is scary. Many of us can attest to the benefits of working, interning, or volunteering away from school during the summer months. But have you considered working off-campus during the semester? Up until this semester, I had never held an off-campus internship during the academic year. I didn’t think it was manageable – with my class schedule, with my homework, with my other jobs on campus. But over the past month, I’ve been interning at an ad agency in Culver City. And from my experience so far, I want to help advise any (and all) other students who are interested in working off-campus. Because it’s an incredible opportunity.

1. Finding an off-campus internship
   The first, and most obvious, step in obtaining an off-campus internship is to look for one. I found my current internship from a Scripps friend who had previously interned at the company her senior year. She referred me to her bosses, I then introduced myself, and the rest is history. She was their very first intern, and I’m still trying to fill the incredibly impressive shoes she left behind. Long story short, networking and reaching out to your connections in an excellent way to obtain semester internships. Another way is to subscribe to internship and job updates for the companies that interest you. You’ll be the first to know when they’re looking for new talent – so keep your resume and your cover-letter-writing skills up to date. I suggest creating a folder in your email settings where you can store this information, since you’ll never know when you might want to refer to it again without the hassle of searching. An additional way to approach off-campus opportunities would be to conduct informational interviews. You’ll be able to learn more in-depth information about specific roles at specific companies, as well as increase the number of people who will have your career-back in the future (we can only hope). ClaremontConnect and NIC are also great resources for internships on and off campus, make sure you log in occasionally and set-up search agents to get notified about openings in the areas you want to pursue.
2. Getting there
   I don’t have a car – but that hasn’t stopped me (pun not intended). It’s a well-understood fact that Los Angeles severely lacks in public transportation. And I’m reminded of this every time I wake up at 5:00am on Tuesday to avoid a surge in Uber prices. Let me explain… It is very possible to get yourself around even if you don’t have a car. It is might more expensive than say, New York City or San Francisco, but it’s possible. Here are a couple transportation options depending on the location of your internship:
   1. If your internship is in Downtown Los Angeles: Easy. Take the train from Claremont to Union Station. Tickets are only $7 with a student ID – and yes, they do check to make sure you’ve paid for a ticket! The office buildings in Downtown are a 7-minute car ride or a 10-15 minute walk from the train station.
   2. If your internship is in the Pasadena area: Uber may be an expensive choice (the car ride is about 20-30 minutes long), so you may want to consider Zipcar as an option. Trains and buses aren’t an efficient means of getting to and from this area.
   3. If your internship is by the beach (Santa Monica, Culver City, Venice, etc.): You can take the train from Claremont to Union Station, then take the LAX Shuttle ($8 one-way) from Union Station to LAX. I know this sounds very strange, but trust me, it works. LAX is pretty centrally located amongst the “beach towns,” so taking a cab or taking an Uber from there to your internships will save you money and time. You could also take an Uber to your work, but it could cost you as much as $55 or as little at $21. The cost depends on the time of day and amount of traffic, so be cognizant of what you might need to pay. To alleviate any of cost stress with Ubers, take an Uberpool or Lyftline! They will always apply a $1-4 discount just for using the service, even if no one hops in the car with you.
   4. If your internship is located in Upland/Montclair/Pomona: Check out Foothill Transit buses, they run across our neighboring towns frequently. Walking could also be an option, but beware of the heat!

I know I didn’t mention all of the areas within Los Angeles that possible internships may be located, but if you keep an open mind and a positive attitude, you’ll get yourself to where you need to be. If you’re lucky enough to have generous friends in Claremont who will reasonably offer their cars to you, that’s even better! But I know that option is not always the case. If your internship is unpaid – also don’t feel discouraged. Scripps offers students with off-campus, unpaid internships a grant to help get them there. But if you are getting paid for your work, save a portion of that paycheck and use it towards getting around.

3. Scheduling
   If the internship you want requires a certain amount of hours, look at your schedule. You are a student first, so if there is a conflict with one of your classes, don’t take the consideration too lightly. It’s best to plan for an off-campus internship one semester beforehand, so as to avoid any scheduling conflicts and prepare other employers you have have of timecard changes. Despite having an off-campus internship, I still work at CP&R as a Career Consultant (because it’s the best). But the moment I found out I was being extended an offer to intern away from Claremont, I emailed Valinda to let her know that my work schedule at CP&R might change. Although it never wound up changing, it’s best to be responsible and courteous.
4. During the internship
   Yay! You landed an off-campus internship! Take a moment to pat yourself on the back. Now make it a point to work really hard. An amazing bonus to internships during the semester is that the likelihood of the company asking you to stay into the summer (or into a full-time role) is generally high. Not all employers are the same, but making a good impression while also exhibiting utmost professionalism – no complaints about the commute or how backed-up with work you are – will open many doors for your future.

Consider this crash-course complete. If you have any further questions about off-campus internships, I’d be happy to talk more in person. Or drop in to CP&R Monday-Friday 10am-5pm! Any internship is possible, so remember you’ve got a ginormous support group who is happy to help get you there.