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Let us be your network!

Parenthèse does not impose a specific internship or employer: We will help you and guide you, but you are also completely free to do your own research, consider different offers, negotiate the mission and the compensation directly with the American employers and choose the internship that best suits you.

You don’t know where to start? You can’t manage to find a good host organization? We’ll be happy to help you, free of charge. Contact us !

Finding your Internship is not mission impossible! Our experience shows us that participants find their paid internship within 3 to 6 weeks of active search. Follow our guidelines below.

Begin by drafting your resume (CV)

Give as many details of your educational and professional experience as possible. American employers are not necessarily familiar with your country’s educational system or with your foreign employers. 

Include the links to your school or former employers’ websites.

Please note that American resumes are not supposed to include a photo or any personal information (date of birth, marital status, etc…).

Use the following example to write your Cover Letter

Please include the letter in the body of your email instead of sending it as an attachment.  If you send an email to an employer with only two attachments (your letter and your CV), it will most likely end up in the trash.

It is essential to mention that you are intending to apply for a J-1 Intern visa through CIEE’s BridgeUSA program and that, as part of this program, CIEE will act as your legal sponsor. Moreover, companies may also be interested to learn that your health insurance is included in your program.

Don’t forget to check out our social media and contact companies directly

You can contact companies that interest you directly through their own website.

Most companies have specific pages dedicated to internship offers and you can either apply online or send them spontaneous applications.

Use “internship” as a key word in your searches.

Never give up!

You need to show employers that you are motivated and eager to be a part of their team.

This is a little challenging given that you are not in front of them but behind your computer screen. The best way to show your motivation is by sending regular follow up emails to your potential employers.

One week after your first email, you should send a second email reiterating your interest and requesting an interview.

On average, employers start answering participants after 2 or 3 follow-up emails.

In addition, do not hesitate to use all the resources around you: your university, friends, personal and professional contacts…

You also have the option of going through a placement service. These kinds of services are not free. Timeframes can vary depending on the type of Internship that you are looking for. Standard processing times for placement agencies are between 4 to 8 weeks.

If you decide to go through a placement agency, we strongly recommend that you choose a company that specializes in one or two specific cities or has a long-term working relationship with their employers. Many so-called placement agencies simply find offers on line, convert them to a PDF format and charge you a fee if you accept one of their «offers».

Over the years we have processed files for several placement agencies. Given our experience, we can recommend the following agencies :

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