Internships are an excellent tool for advancing your skills in a field of interest. These positions can help young adults find a career path, test their aptitude for certain kinds of work, and develop their talents. Internships are almost always unpaid as applicants are expected to be gaining career development and experience while the company gets cheap labor. It is important to find the right match of company or project because a lot of effort goes into an internship and you have to be getting something back.

How to find an internship in the USA?

Defined precisely your objectives, the type of company: French or American, the domain of activity, the position, the duration, the wage… You have to know what you want to get from this internship, as it can be a key point in your future career development.

The first step is to find an internship you might have an interest in. Universities frequently fund projects that students can participate in as an internship. Check with the university closest to you or in the school's paper under the classified ads.

Networking can be very useful. If you have a family doctor and are interested in medicine, ask about the possibility of interning at the office. If you are interested in art, ask at your favorite gallery. Tell your family, friends, and family friends that you are looking for an internship and see if they have any contacts in your field of interest. It never hurts to ask.

Be sure that people you have been in touch with have your details and do not hesitate to contact them from time to time. Make sure that if an interesting offer arises, they will contact you first. However, do not push to much but use your contacts with measurement.

Once a possible internship has been located, send your résumé and cover letter. Indicate the name of your contact if you have one. Call back the companies after a week if you have not heard anything. It will show your determination and might put your file at the top of the list.

San Francisco is a city that draws people from across the globe. Internships are varied, but working in the fields of tourism, technology, or defense can put you in world-class company.

• San Francisco Internships- offers programs during the summer, fall and spring. There are a variety of programs to choose from including, advertising, fashion, film, and more.
• Internships at the Federal Reserve - provides college students with opportunities to develop good work habits and gain sound professional skills in many areas, including Corporate Strategy, Banking Supervision and Regulation, and Audit. Get a leg up in business!
• San Francisco City Attorney Intern Program - this is a unique opportunity to gain insight into legal research and the workings of constitutional law, criminal law and statutory analysis. Programs take place during the summer, spring, and fall.
• Humanity in Action Internship - part of the “Transatlantic Study and Internship Program on Human and Minority Rights”, this follows the American Core program (a five week seminar and research phase in New York City). Interns will work in various non-governmental organizations in the Bay Area. The program also includes a lecture series.

Internship programmes in the US

If you would prefer a program that sets up international internships, from visa, to housing, to airfare, there are many different choices.

Organisations such as CCUSA, CIEE and Alliances Abroad work to place students in internships.

CCUSA (http://www.ccusa.com) requires you to hold a J1 visa. They offer practical training in the United States (maximum is 12-month work placement). Applicants are responsible for finding an employer to offer a training program in one of the approved categories. Once a company is located and the information given to the local CCUSA office in your country, CCUSA will contact the company to verify the suitability of the training program and to review the obligations of the employer.
You are responsible for all flight and travel costs to the USA and all accommodation and living expenses during your stay.

Alliances Abroad (http://www.alliancesabroad.com) offers a programme called Career Escape with trainee programme in the US. This program is open to university students and recent graduates who want to train in their professional field to gain valuable international experience.
Paid positions are available in many fields.

CIEE (Council on International Educational Exchange: http://www.ciee.org) offers internship and professional trainee programs in the USA (http://www.internshipusa.org/trainee).

Association for International Practical Training [AIPT: http://www.aipt.org] helps in your search for internship in the US.

International trainee network [http://www.internationaltrainee.com] offers different positions for paid internship in the US.

Another excellent source of internships is through private sponsorship with a company in your country that may send you to work in another location for a year. Other large companies organise competetive internship schemes, these usually involve sitting numerous exams and aptitude tests as well as a lengthy interview process. A success to get one of those internship is highly rewardable for your carreer , and can be also link with a generous pay.

You will find more internships abroad with the following links:

• InternAbroad [http://www.internabroad.com]: this is a service from GoAbroad.com that provides offers for internship and work abroad.
• InternshipsAbroad [http://www.internshipsabroad.com]: offers internship opportunities mostly in America.
• InternJobs [http://www.internjobs.com] is a global database of internships for students, recent graduates and career changers. If your are looking for internship, then you can just register for free and have access to all the offers.