The struggle of getting an internship is real. We have all been there, especially if you belong to one of the majors where internship experience is required to walk across the stage come commencement day. Students in the Media, Communications, and Visual Arts (MCVA) departments can relate.

The stresses of getting the “right” internship are completely valid. From tedious applications, the grueling waiting period, and anxiety-filled interviews, it can get pretty frustrating. So how do you find the internship that’s best for you? When is the best time to start the hunt?

From resume building, cover letter writing support, and interview workshops, Career Services at Pace University tends to be a safe hub for students to navigate through those questions.

“My relationship with Pace’s Career Services has stretched since my very first semester. The second I learned that I could start internships as an undergrad and as early as second semester freshman year — I took advantage of that.” said Junior Maricielo Gomez. “My first ever internship was through Career Services, and since then they have been so incredibly helpful and supportive of me.”

The MCVA department has also earned a reputation for promoting and publicizing related opportunities and internships.

“Some of the internships we get at MCVA are from personal connections of professors, some are places where students have gone before and had a good experience so they want to continue having Pace students, some places approach us because they’re local and in the area, other places the university works with in general, so there are a variety of ways,” MCVA Professor Melanie LaRosa said.

Once you have your finalized resume and some options to apply for, does that mean you’re ready to take on the some-what “real world” no matter your school year? For students such as Gomez, that was easy to answer.

“My best advice for students seeking an internship is to start early. I’m aware that professors tell you to wait it out, but I recommend otherwise because the more experience you have, the better prepared you are for what’s to come. Also, do not get discouraged with “nos”. I have this saying: ‘for every 10 no’s, you get a yes,’” Gomez said.

LaRosa, however, touches a little on how every student is different.

“There never really is a best time,” she said.

“It really depends on when you’re ready for the professional world. I’ve been on the other end where I’ve reviewed applicants for a production company and some of the things that come through are if this applicant is serious. We would interview people and sometimes you would know that a student is doing this because they have to and it doesn’t feel like they’re going to be here mentally,” LaRosa said.

Among the places Gomez also finds reliable for seeking out internships are the online pages of the MCVA department and Pace Alumni pages. She stressed the importance of asking professors, as they tend to have useful connections, but mostly in one particular field: production.

“There are a number of professors who would jump to help an MCVA [student] land a production internship — but any other position in the field? I don’t think this is likely. It’s mostly online, especially the department Facebook page where alumni and professors post about real job and internship positions for a wide range of students. I think it’s extremely important to stress how willing graduate students are to help their fellow department family out,” Gomez said.