Business Externship Program

In order to apply for the Business Externship Program, a student must:

• Intend to select a specific business major and have registered as Pre-Business Administration with the Haworth College of Business Advising Office
• Have freshman or sophomore standing
• Attend and participate in professional development workshops (pre- and post-externship)

• Observe and become familiar with daily routines and operations of a specific job
• Gain an understanding of the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to be successful in a career
• Develop business communication skills by interacting with and interviewing professionals
• Gather information related to a career to eliminate or select an academic major
• Participate in a unique program that gives you a competitive advantage when searching for an internship or job
• Develop a mentor-mentee relationship with a professional in a field of interest to you

Each externship will be different, but some of the possible activities include:

• Observation of day-to-day activities
• Informational interviews with your professional mentor and/or other staff members
• Attendance at business meetings or lunches
• Limited assistance with day-to-day responsibilities
• Short-term project, depending on the length of the opportunity

The length of each externship will be determined by your professional mentor. A typical externship will range in length from 1 to 3 days, but could be longer.

Most externships will occur during the "Hot Spot," the period immediately following the conclusion of spring semester, which is usually the first three weeks in May. Professional mentors may need to select a date outside of the "Hot Spot" and will arrange the date directly with a student.

1. All externships opportunities will be released on GO LIVE Day!
   1. Opportunities will be posted online on the Business Externship Program website by clicking on the 2012 Externship Opportunities button and can also be viewed in print. Externship catalogs will be distributed through the College for your reference. Stop by The Career Center, the Advising Office, or any academic department to look at a catalog.
2. Students will have one month to research all the opportunities and submit an application. As part of the application process, students will need to prepare a resume and complete an application essay.
   1. Check the HCOB calendar of events for Application Workshops where you can receive assistance with preparing these application documents.
3. The application can be found online. A complete application requires a resume and application essay. *Submission of an application does not guarantee a match.

1. Students will be notified via email of a decision on MATCH Day!
2. Once notified of a match, students will have one week to accept the externship match and select the date for attending the first required professional development workshop (check the HCOB calendar of events for dates and times of the professional development workshops). Students will need to deliver their enrollment form to The Career Center in person during this one-week period.
3. When a student delivers their enrollment form, they will receive instruction to complete an online extern profile that will be provided to their mentor.

In order to participate in the Business Externship Program, students must attend and participate in two professional development Business Externship Program workshops in The Career Center.

Business Externship Program Workshop #1: Prepare for your Externship will provide students with all the necessary information needed to be successful at the externship site.  Topics that will be covered will include:

• Informational Interviewing
• Company Research
• Business Communication, Business Etiquette, Corporate Culture
• Requirements after your job shadow (evaluation, thank you note, etc.)

Additionally, students will receive and sign a series of documents, including:

• Learning Contract
• Liability Release and Confidentiality Agreement

Signatures on all documents are required to participate in the Business Externship Program. 

Business Externship Program Workshop #2: Conclude your Externship will assist students with incorporating the externship into their career development and planning strategies.  Topics that will be covered include:

• How to include your opportunity on your resume
• How to discuss your opportunity in an interview
• Feedback on overall program experience

• Host a student at your place of work by serving as an Externship Contact and/or Professional Mentor
• Recommend an alum or friend of the College that might be interested in participating in the program

• The Externship Contact is the individual at your company that will arrange the externship, including all the pre-program logistics.
• The Professional Mentor is the individual(s) that the WMU business student will shadow.  Students are matched with a professional mentor whose occupation closely matches a career the student would like to explore. 
• The Externship Contact and Professional Mentor can be the same person or can be different people.

• Showcase the daily activities, challenges and requirements of your profession
• Demonstrate how your profession aligns with a specific business major
• Gain exposure for your organization by introducing students to company culture
• Identify potential student candidates before your competitors
• Develop your employees mentoring, coaching, and leadership skills
• Participate in a unique program that gives WMU business students a competitive advantage

• Submit a completed Business Externship Program Registration form and externship description online
• Be available by phone and/or email for your extern to discuss and make arrangements for the externship visit
• Inform student of any changes in the externship schedule once dates have been confirmed
• Complete online evaluations of your extern and the program at the conclusion of your externship
• Take pictures with your student extern
• Attend the celebration event in the fall, if possible

• Freshmen and sophomores in the Haworth College of Business are eligible to participate.
• All externships will be released on GO LIVE Day! The externships will be compiled into a catalog that will be online and in print around the College.
• Students will have one month to research each opportunity and select up to 5 that are of interest. 
• Students will complete an online application that closely correlates to the employer registration.
  • As part of the application process, students will prepare a resume and application essay.
  • Submission of an application does not guarantee a match.

• Students and mentors are matched based on three criteria: interest areas, career pathways, and externships of interest. Matching is completed by the coordinators of the program.
• After a student receives their match, they have one week to enroll in the program. They may accept or decline their externship.
• If a studnet enrolls in the program, they will complete an extern profile.
• The extern profile and portions of the extern's application will be emailed to each mentor when the match is announced to employers.

Most externships will occur during the "Hot Spot," the period immediately following the conclusion of spring semester at WMU, which is usually the first three weeks in May. If necessary, professional mentors may select a date outside of the "Hot Spot."

In order to participate in the Business Externship Program, students must attend and participate in two professional development workshops in The Career Center.

Business Externship Program Workshop #1: Prepare for your Externship
This workshop will prepare and provide students with all the necessary information needed to be successful at the externship site. Topics to be covered include:

• Preparing appropriate questions for conducting information interviews
• Company Research
• Business Communication, Business Etiquette, Corporate Culture
• Requirements after your externship (evaluation, thank you, etc.)

Additionally, students will receive and sign a series of documents, including:

• Learning Contract
• Liability Release and Confidentiality Agreement

Signatures on all documents are required to participate in the Business Externship Program. 

Business Externship Program Workshop #2: Conclude your Externship
This workshop will assist students with incorporating the externship into their career development and planning strategies.  Topics that will be covered will include:

• How to incorporate your externship on your resume
• How to discuss your opportunity in an interview
• Feedback on overall program experience