Candidate Information

Top 10 Reasons to be a NODA Intern:

10. You may be able to score a few new t-shirts, sweatshirts, etc. from another institution!
9. You get to meet some amazing people and find new friends and mentors. Never underestimate the power of networking!
8. You will gain numerous skills and traits that you will utilize in your professional career.
7. Future employers will be extremely intrigued by the wealth of experience you gained during your NODA Internship. Can you say “marketability”??
6. You may see things like the Grand Canyon, an ocean, mountains, a famous landmark, or any number of things that add to the adventure of a new place.
5. You’ll get to spend your summer in a totally new location that you may not have the chance to live in again.
4. You can share new ideas from your current institution to your NODA Internship institution and vice versa to help build the programs on both campuses.
3. You’ll gain new perspectives on student development.
2. You will be able to get more involved with the National Orientation Directors Association – perhaps even by presenting on your experience at a regional or annual conference.
1. The NODA Internship experience can change your life!

Tips for a successful NODA Internship…

• Do your research -- Look at all the different institutions you are interested in and know exactly what each office/institution can offer you in experiences. This will help you narrow down or broaden your search for the 'perfect' internship.
• Supplement your experiences -- Try and choose internships that can supplement your experiences at your current institution. For example, if you primarily work with fall welcome programs, maybe find an internship that you can work with parents during a summer program. Variety in experiences will make you marketable for jobs!
• Don't look to get rich -- Even though it is really nice to be paid a lot during the summer, try not to only look for the internships whose stipends are the most. They may not necessarily be the right internship for you. Your NODA Internship is going to be a valuable experience whether you get paid a lot or not.
• Be creative -- Use your past experiences or current experiences to implement something new in your internship. Ideally, you should be able to leave an internship with something that you created, implemented or coordinated.
• Be aware of change -- Whenever you move to a different location, it's going to be difficult to make that transition. Know that you may go through the same transitional issues that new students go through when moving to college. You may get homesick, sad or nervous - this is normal.
• Make the experience yours -- Remember - you get the most out of an experience when you put the most into it. Don't expect the internship to make you successful - you must make the internship successful. Don't be afraid if you leave the internship a totally changed person - that's exciting!
• Consider carefully what you are looking for and what you can offer---and be honest with those who interview you. Apply for positions for which you are fully prepared to consider. If you doubt your preparedness to move 3000 miles away for the summer, don’t apply for a position that far from home. If you want something totally different, don’t apply for all the same types of schools.
• Consider the “where needed” option -- this option is unique to the NODA internship program and helps match motivated candidates with institutions that may receive fewer applications. This increases the candidate’s chances of getting an interview, and increases the host’s access to great candidates. This where needed option is available by region. You can use it for all your choices, or some of your choices. For each “Where Needed” option you will have your application sent to one school in that region with the least amount of applicants, thereby increasing the visibility of your application.