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I have just finished temporary Christmas employment with a company working in their call center. They have a number of software development positions open at the moment, and have had for months, which I am really interested in. The problem is that I am currently in College and cannot take on a full time job without leaving college (I would leave college if one was put on the table)

The only solution I can think of is asking for an internship or apprenticeship with the company, however they are not advertising them. How would I go about asking and possibly getting an internship with this company. I know of course to ask, but would providing project examples in programming languages they don't use be effective in tempting them?

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You need to make a pitch not just for yourself but for a role. I've done this (though not with an internship). Some key elements:

  • Sell yourself: Review the postings for the full-time jobs closest to what you'd like an internship for. Those postings will tell you what qualities they're looking for. You want to build a case for yourself as on-track to being that. So, target your resume toward those positions even though that's not (yet) exactly what you're applying for. If those postings call for samples of your work, prepare some.

  • Sell the internship: Internships that turn into permanent employment are a win for the company; they get to train you for cheap and, hey, if you don't actually work out, they don't have the expense and hassle of getting rid of a permanent hire. You're offering yourself as a trial version with no obligations at the end. (Interns aren't free, of course; aside from what they pay you, they're paying somebody to train/mentor/supervise you instead of doing whatever work that person would otherwise be doing.)

  • Make the connection: As for how to do this, you're in a great position -- you've already been working for them, so you know people on the inside and don't need to make a cold pitch via a web form or anonymous email address. Talk with someone you worked with (e.g. your manager, or some other senior person, or an HR person if there was one) about your goals and ask if they can help make introductions for you.

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  • Thanks, this is a great answer. I am going to wait for some more responses so I can get a wider view on this, but I do like the idea of taking somebody else I worked with in. Thanks for taking the time out of your day to contribute to my question, I much appreciate it.
    – Carwyn Nelson
    Dec 22, 2013 at 18:53
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    The only answer I'd give would be refining Monica Cellio's already good answer - be ready to have ideas on how the position you are suggesting wil lwork. For example - how many hours/what days would you be working? Remote or on site? How will it be possible to balance school commitments with internship work? Be ready to answer these questions.
    – bethlakshmi
    Dec 23, 2013 at 18:13
  • Thanks, I have marked this question as the answer. I think I'm going to prepare some notes before I go in, I don't know whether to memorise them, or to actually take them with me.
    – Carwyn Nelson
    Dec 24, 2013 at 13:57
  • @CarwynNelson there's a question related to that. Good luck.
    – Monica Cellio
    Dec 24, 2013 at 14:02

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