Obtaining Work-related Experience

A Bachelor's degree is not enough to obtain a job. Successful job applicants also have skills which they gained from work experience:

  1. Hands-on skills include those applicable to any work environment (e.g. filing, word processing, telephone skills) as well as the skills specific to that workplace (e.g. data collecting, behavior observation, operating gas chromatograph).
  2. “Soft skills,” such as oral and written communication skills or an ability to work with others and adjust to their needs, are extremely important.

There are at least three ways to gain these work-related skills:

 

Research Opportunities

Experience in a research project or laboratory is essential if you plan to attend graduate school.  If you are interested in obtaining research experience in Zoology, you are encouraged to study the descriptions of Zoology faculty research interests available on this website, and then contact individual faculty members with whom you think you might like to work. Independent study credit (ZOL 494) can often be arranged for participation in laboratory or field studies.

Other sources for on-campus jobs include:

Another way to gain research experience (usually in the summer) is to participate in a Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU), a program sponsored by NSF.  About ten undergraduates are associated with each REU Site, and each student is associated with a specific research project.

Minority Access to Research Careers (MARC) programs

Kellogg Biological Station occasionally offers research positions in the summers; housing may also be available on-site.

 

Internship Opportunities

An internship is a professional activity in a job situation, under the general supervision of an experienced professional. The student is expected to bring a high degree of responsibility to the workplace.  Completing an internship is a way to explore a possible career - to find out if you hate it or love it. An internship also gives you valuable work experience for your resume, where you can itemize the specific skills and knowledge that you gained which are applicable to that prospective employer's needs.

For future employment purposes, the best place to present your internship is in a resume. You also may choose to receive credit while participating in the internship: your experience will be reflected in one line of your college transcript. Zoology majors may apply to the Zoology department to complete 4 credits of ZOL 496. Applications to the department for MSU credit must be made a semester in advance (credit is never awarded retroactively.) You will be expected to spend a semester (15 weeks) working a 40-hour week. The grade will be based upon both a daily journal and the written results from a project conducted with the host institution or facility.  See the College of Natural Science webpage on "how you get ready, choose, and complete a Zoology internship for credit."

Each institution will have different application deadlines and prerequisite requirements, so it is wise to begin a search for a suitable program in your freshman year. Spending an hour or two per week on this search will enable you to be well-prepared for an internship in your junior or senior year. Start your research with these web sites:

Some companies or agencies, such as zoos or environmental organizations, may only use their own websites to list internship opportunities for a short period of time. MySpartanCareer contains a list by state of companies and institutions. Other possible internship locations include the individual websites for:

You may be able to find an unadvertised internship through a contact, so don’t be afraid to ask questions. Finally, the Zoology Undergraduate Programs Director may be able to help you identify relevant programs.

 

Experience from Extracurricular Activities

Most employers want applicants to have some relevant experience. This experience ranges from hands-on skills (such as typing or filing skills or familiarity with a variety of computer applications) to “soft skills” like an ability to work with others and adjust to their needs. In order to gain a base of experience to use as a stepping stone for later jobs, you may want to consider various volunteer activities.  Some of these include: