How I Got My Internship

By Angela Z.

When I was searching for internships, I relied heavily on the weekly e-mails that contained information on internship, job, and department updates. Hayley sent out an e-mail one week with an invitation to WA Department of Labor & Industries (LNI) information session and interview. At first I was hesitant to sign up due to a conflicting class, but I was able to sign up for the interview without attending the information session. I knew this put me at a bit of a disadvantage against my colleagues, so before my interview I poked around on the LNI website to learn more about the organization. The occupational health and safety classes at the UW had also mentioned LNI so I felt that I had some general background information about the organization as a whole.

During the interview, I was surprised at how conversational it was. I was asked none of the questions that I had prepared for and although I had a shaky answer to, “what do you know about industrial hygiene,” we finished the interview on an open dialogue about worker safety and our personal stories related to the subject. I was able to express how much I learned from and enjoyed the safety classes at UW, which is one side of compliance safety and health.

One piece of advice I have for future students is to sign up for any opportunity that comes up. Especially the employer visits because you have a better chance at getting to know the organization and the staff on a more personal level. This also includes the site visit field trips that are hosted by the department because it is also a good chance to network and inquire about internship opportunities. It is also generally important to keep an open mind and apply for any opportunity that sounds interesting to you!