Today I have more great advice for your in my “School Psychs Share” series.  You can read the previous posts here:

Essentially, I ask a great group of psychs to share their advice on your most asked questions.  Last time we talked practicum, and today, the most asked question of them all…Internship!  So let’s dive in.

First off, tips for applying to internships:

Reach out

“My biggest tip would probably be to find districts you’re interested in and then email or call the person in charge of Psychological Services to find out if they’re accepting interns, what the application process is like, and details about the internship itself. ” –

“Send e-mails to districts you are interested in working for. Seek out positions early.” -Kathryn, OR

“Reach out to districts even if they don’t have a posting for a position! Because there is such a shortage of psychs, many districts may be interested in creating an internship position even if it doesn’t current exist. I think it’s best to start reaching out in January of the year you’re looking to work.” -Myia, MI

“Look at your state’s school psychology association- they often have internship sites posted, along with a point of contact (I recommend doing this if you are looking for out-of-state placements, as well). Reach out to recent graduates from your program- they can provide a lot of insight and mentoring. I found it helpful to make a spreadsheet checklist with deadlines, hiring manager’s contact information, requirements for submission, and interview dates and times. It helped me to keep it all straight! ” -Faith, NC

Consider the financial aspect

” I would also suggest looking at your financial situation and being honest on what your needs are for internship. If you get afford an unpaid internship you may have more flexibility in where you go. Paid internships have more expectations so it’s really important to check that you match those expectations”-Symoné, CA

“Prioritize 3 things: role, salary, and location in whatever order is most important to you. Aim for 2/3 of these and if you get all 3 then that’s pretty lucky. ” -Molly, WI

“START EARLY!!! Do not rely solely on your program to place you into an internship. While my program did that, I wanted a new experience and a paid internship. I started looking in January, interviewed in February, and secured my paid internship by March while others in my cohort were just beginning to look. Use your state’s school psych association website! Also look if there are specific educator job sites (in GA we have teachgeorgia.org) for in-school placements. In my opinion, having a stipend/paid internship was worth not having all the breaks and leniency my peers did in their internship. Also, as a public school employee, you can get the benefits of teacher retirement systems, making you one year closer to retirement! Getting my requirements was also a breeze since I started one month (public school calendar) before my peers did (university calendar). I was also able to count those days that my peers did not work because of the contract I signed with the school system and my university supervisor’s approved” -Puja, GA

Think about what will help round out your experience

“My biggest advice would be to look at what you did for practicum, Specifically what you did and what grade levels you came into contact with, and then assess what you have not learned yet, or what populations you have not worked with yet. For example I started from a sanctuary city, for my practicum, and now I’m currently in a super tiny town with less than 700 students in the school total. ” -Regan, NJ

“Come in knowing what experiences you want and your “end game.” By the time you are practicing as a licensed school psychologist, what do skills do you want to sharpen or hone? Be aware of your areas of strength as well as your areas for growth. Ask for help when you need it, and advocate for yourself when you feel you are ready to take on tasks with minimal (but appropriate) supervision. On the flip side, speak up if you are given too much (e.g., 20 evals in the first six weeks due to school closure) or too little to do. Establish a reciprocal relationship with your intern supervisor, where you are both free to exchange feedback and ideas. Trust what you have learned, but also realize that there is a difference between understanding theory and applying what you’ve learned on the daily. Also, always come prepared. Preparation goes a LONG way. I would also recommend getting exposure to various specialty areas (AU, Low Incidence, Pre-K, TBI, etc).” -Faith, NC

“-Expand your experience (I.e if you did Elementary for practicum try to do middle/high school for Internship) ” -Maritza, NJ

Have your questions ready

“Some things that were important for me to know about the district before applying were: is the internship paid?; How many interns does the district expect to have? If more than one, do they do anything to foster collaboration and connections within the intern cohort?; How does the internship site ensure that you’re provided with a wide range of experiences to broaden your knowledge base?; Are you expected to be independent from that start or do you get maximum support at the beginning that is slowly decreased throughout the year?” -Christina, GA

“I applied mostly on Edjoin for my internships. The application is basically the same for all schools, but change your letter of introduction for each school. Also, make sure you have your letters of recommendation before applying. Most internships are posted by March and early April so start applying by then. My interviews were virtual but if I was going in person, I would bring my resume, letters of rec, and a sample report. Some interviews asked for me to send over a sample report I had written so be prepared to have that if requested. Also, ask lots of questions to the interviewers! They are interviewing you, but you are also interviewing them. Make sure you find the right fit for the experience you want in your internship.” -Candice, CA

“Talk about GOALS you have and how they align with the district’s vision/mission (Ex: “During my internship year, I hope to have opportunities to help with Tier 1 social-emotional planning and implementation… I’ve talked to people in your district and read through your website and noticed that you focus on this goal as well, and that felt like a great fit.” Show your passion and your “why” for going into School Psychology. At this point, we all can counsel students and give assessments. Demonstrate your passion, goals, and enthusiasm. ” -Caroline, CO

And then, how about when you get there?

Make the most out of your experience:

“Don’t wait for opportunities, make them! If someone in an MTSS meeting is looking for intervention support offer up your services, if there is a need for an SEL group, offer to start one! Jump in and get that experience!!” -Myia, MI

“Soak up as much information as you can!! Take initiative. If there is a particular are of interest you would like to learn more about, ask your supervisor! ” Johanna, FL

“Advocate for yourself. Make sure you are getting the experiences you want and deserve. It is your only time to learn and make mistakes! Take on tough cases and ask for cases in low-incidence populations (D/HH, orthopedic impairment, etc.) so you can have that experience and take on the challenge. Those are also great to talk about during interviews.” -Puja, GA

-CASE MANAGEMENT!!! Ask what worked for your supervisor to stay organized -IEPs (how to write, discuss, organize) -Understand the classrooms/programs your district has to offer -Ask to run a meeting on your own (with your supervisor to step in if needed) -Ask to set up annual, reevals, etc” -Maritza, NJ

“Ask lots of questions! This is your last chance to soak up everything before becoming an official school psych so really take advantage of learning opportunities. Attend SSTs, 504s, clinic meetings, NPS visits/observations, anything that may be out of your scope even just to get that experience. Also, start taking the lead on things when you can! The longer you do this the more comfortable you will feel by the end of your internship year. My supervisor has her caseload of students and I have mine so that has been really helpful to see a case from start to finish. Anything I need help on or if I am not sure what to do next, I have my supervisor to guide me!” -Candice, CA

Communicate

“Generally, good communication will help you get the most of your experiences. It is so important to have clear and consistent communication with supervisors, professors, and if you’re working on cases parents are important.” -Symoné, CA

Different state:  “In my experience, it ended up being such a pain finding an internship in a different state than I did my degree program. I would recommend trying to do your degree program in the state you plan to work if possible! I made it work but it was a bigger hassle than the other people in my cohort that got their internships in the area we did our program. ”  -Myia, MI

“Start early depending on where you want to go or think you may want to go. I went to grad school in CT where the process started in early January, whereas the process in VA where I ended for up for internship started in November. Also, don’t be afraid to use job search engines and to reach out to people with questions about their internship opportunities” -Shawna, VA

Don’t feel like you have to know it all

“Always— CONSULT CONSULT CONSULT! Even veteran psychs need to consult with one another. Don’t be embarrassed if you don’t know something.” -Kathryn, OR

“Make a list of everything you think you want to learn or do and ask questions!! Seek out the opportunities you think will help you achieve your goals and areas you feel less competent in! This year is all about learning your likes and dislikes and how you function as a practitioner! ” -Shawna, VA

-“Don’t be afraid to mess up, you’re still learning! -You’re not going to have all the answers and its okay, you will in time! -PLEASE TAKE YOUR LUNCH BREAK😅” -Martiza, NJ

“Do not be afraid to admit that you don’t know the answer! Strive for independency and show team members that you’re willing to take the initiative. ” -Caroline, CO

Hang in there!

And some final gems for you future interns 🙂

“I want to share some important advice. I think anyone who enters this field are passionate at helping and supporting students, teachers, parents, and staff… BUT we have to remember that we need time to take care of ourselves. Self-care is huge! So please make sure to take care of yourself!” -Rosie, MA

“It’s hard to be an intern during a global pandemic – but hang in there and take the pulse of psychs or staff around you to make sure you’re struggling with the right things. Don’t spend your time trying to *fix* everything in your first month :)” -Claire, MN

“I’ve always loved two quotes: “work hard & be kind” and “be the adult you needed as a child.” Our role is SO IMPORTANT and it is so easy to get burnt out (believe me, I feel ya!) but just persevere because in the end, it is worth it. The smiles on students’ faces (through the masks) and the relief from teachers when they feel heard, it makes it all worth it. Blood, sweat and lots of tears will get you through this. You can do it! ” -Puja, GA

“Lastly, make connections with everyone! Your coworkers may end up as colleagues one day or even on your future interview panel.” -Candice, CA

“First, reach out to your internship supervisor to introduce yourself. Then, reach out to your building administrator(s) to introduce yourself, schedule a time to tour the building(s), and ask them about the school, staff, and their expectations for you. Once staff are in the buildings, introduce yourself to everyone (teachers, clerical, building engineers – you will need to build relationships with everyone). These are my tips to start out the school year strong in a new placement. The more people get to know you and work with you, the more they will seek you out and value your help and input. ” -Molly, WI