Hear from Sam Ouellette, a past intern-turned-employee, about her experience with Global Impact. Inspired to join the team that’s inspiring greater giving? Check out our careers page for open intern positions and other job listings! 

I cannot begin to imagine the stress and emotions that students have experienced over the past year-plus – missing graduations (a once-in-a-lifetime celebration of years of hard work!), being apart from friends, and learning remotely (a situation not everyone was equipped for). Parents turned into teachers. Living rooms turned into classrooms. Every age group missed out on peer interaction. And I can only imagine the mess that must have come from already-frustrating group projects.

Yet, through it all, students persevered. You learned the technology, went to class, took the tests, finished the year. You looked inside yourself, reflecting and acting on your own thoughts and feelings – something that is exceedingly difficult to do, no matter your age. Many of you graduated high school or college – shifting through some pretty big life phases in a world that was so very different from when I did the same years ago.

You stood strong. You were determined and undeterred. And, just maybe, you walked away with something you didn’t have 18-some-odd months ago: a determination to find a better world. To achieve equality, to form better health systems, to protect the environment.

To invest in our collective future.

If that sounds about right, Global Impact wants to invest in yours.

Six years ago (omg), I was a fresh college graduate. I finished my courses at George Mason University with a bachelor’s in English, concentrated in writing and rhetoric. I took out loans, worked part time and paid part of my way out-of-pocket – and after my own form of dedication, I found myself where you now stand.

And let me tell you, I had no idea what I wanted to do.

But I got really lucky. At the end of my second internship, my introverted self was forced to go to a career fair for a final college credit. I stuttered through my elevator pitch at Global Impact’s booth, handed them my resume and left, expecting nothing. Yet a few weeks later, I got a call, and soon I was starting my post-graduation, summer internship at Global Impact.

I didn’t know how much of a difference it could make – working for people, rather than business. As an empath, I found a way to make a difference. Previously, I grappled with a feeling of powerlessness whenever confronted by the terrible things going on in the world. But I discovered cause areas that I was passionate about. And it has been the most rewarding experience.

What does an internship at Global Impact get you?
At a nonprofit, your hand is in a lot of different work. One of the biggest benefits is that you’ll get a very well-rounded opportunity.

Our interns have gained experience in Drupal, HTML, Photoshop, InDesign, Mailchimp, Salesforce, Microsoft Teams and a number of other programs and platforms. Basically, know this: The opportunity to learn is here if you take it.

I’ve seen so many people come and go and watched many careers blossom, both for regular employees and interns. Some join the Peace Corps, many go on to graduate school or other nonprofits. But they’ve all gone on to find their own success.

And no matter where you go, you’ll always remain a part of the Global Impact family.

Here’s a snapshot of some of the projects and opportunities available to interns at Global Impact:

  • Integrating with colleagues and partners from around the world.
  • Great end-result portfolio.
  • Opportunities to communicate with clients and try a variety of different projects.
  • Opportunity to present your work in front of the whole team, including the CEO.

The nitty-gritty
Our internships run through three periods – spring, summer and fall – and last about three to four months each. Internships for different teams pop up depending on the time of year, but usually opportunities are regularly available for partner solutions, campaign engagement and marketing, and technology.

And! Like me, many Global Impact employees moved into their full-time roles after completing the internship program.

What criteria do you need to meet to be considered for an internship?

  • Be a current student with an accredited university, a recent college graduate or a high school graduate entering into college.
  • Have a personality that’s driven, determined and open-minded.
  • Demonstrate excitement and a willingness to learn new things and put yourself out there.
  • Possess an eagerness to support a mission-driven organization and help change the world.

Next steps
Check with your university to see if they offer the opportunity to apply your internship experience toward a course credit. Some colleges even have departments that help their students get internships.

Already did an internship and didn’t know you could get credit? Talk to your college – sometimes they’re willing to backdate credits (this happened to me!).

Experience is key when you’re just starting out in the job market, and internships are a great way to get that real-world experience. Global Impact offers its interns a fantastic opportunity to grow their skills and network – setting you up for success. Interested in kicking off your career at Global Impact? We have an internship opening right now, so check it out!