A short guide to internships
This guide does not aim to provide a comprehensive overview of every opportunity available to physics students at the University of Vienna for starting internships. Instead, it focuses on offering practical suggestions for planning an internship.
What is an Internship?
An internship is a work experience opportunity for students or recent graduates. It is typically designed to provide practical, hands-on experience in a specific field or industry, bridging the gap between academic studies and professional work.
In the MA Physics program you are able to do an internship and receive ECTS credits for it. For more information please refer to the MA Physics Curriculum that can be found at the SSC Physics Webpage.
What Do You Want from an Internship?
There are many reasons to pursue an internship during your studies. These often fall between two objectives: Exploring and Specializing.
- Exploring: If your goal is to explore potential careers, think broadly about fields that interest you and identify companies or research groups working in those areas. The key here is deep self-reflection on your interests and openness to new experiences.
- Specializing: If you have already found your focus, specialization is the next step. In this case, you need to research your chosen field, identify relevant companies, research groups, or individuals, and seek opportunities to work with them.
Most students will find their motivations lie somewhere between these two extremes. For example, you may want to intern with a company working in a field related to your bachelor’s thesis or explore industry work to decide between pursuing a PhD or entering the private sector. What matters is that you carefully consider your possibilities and goals.
Beyond choosing tasks and the type of internship, two other crucial factors are time and remuneration. You need to know:
- When the internship will take place (e.g., summer, during the semester).
- How much time you have to dedicate to it.
The question of pay depends on personal circumstances but may be a decisive factor when selecting an internship.
How Do You Find an Internship?
Landing your dream internship can be challenging due to factors like limited hosting capacity, scheduling conflicts, or not being offered a suitable position. To improve your chances, a solid plan is essential.
- Leverage Your Network: Start by sharing your intention to find an internship with your social networks, both in-person and online. Many opportunities arise through people you know.
- Use Online Tools: Searching on Google or asking an AI assistant can help locate specific opportunities. Once you identify leads, revisit your network to see if anyone has relevant connections.
- Seek University Support: Professors and researchers at the University of Vienna are often willing to help with guidance or recommendation letters. Additionally, services like Uniport or Alma Mentoring can provide valuable support.
- Explore Online Communities: Platforms like Reddit or topical forums are great for advice and internship opportunities. On LinkedIn, you can identify companies of interest and connect with professionals currently holding positions you aspire to.
- Use the Alumni Company List: Physik Alumni has been working on a list of possible employers for physicists, both based on current jobs of former students and companies who have hired physicists in the past. Please write to us if you have any suggestions for the list!
Organizational Tips for Internship Applications
How you organize your search depends on how you found the opportunity. For informal contacts (e.g., local research groups), a call or an email might suffice. However, for most cases, you need a systematic approach. This why a great tool is to create a spreadsheet:
- List companies, institutions, or programs you are interested in.
- Write information on them, such as sector type, website, or specific positions.
- Track application details, deadlines, and contacts.
- Share the spreadsheet with peers to collaborate on finding opportunities, broadening your search, and reducing individual effort.
- Save your list—companies that reject you now may be open to internships in the future.
How to Contact an Employer
If you are applying to a structured internship program, carefully read and follow all application requirements. If you have questions, don’t hesitate to ask for clarification.
For non-structured internships, be prepared for rejection. Companies and institutions may not directly benefit from hosting interns in the short term, and resources can be limited.
Key tips for communication:
- Keep your emails professional, concise, and polite.
- If your first inquiry goes unanswered, wait one week before sending a follow-up. One reminder is sufficient.
- Maintain professionalism even in rejection—today’s “no” could become tomorrow’s “yes.”
By following these suggestions and staying organized, you will maximize your chances of finding an internship that aligns with your goals and helps you grow professionally.