Career Development
Frequently Asked Questions

Career Opportunities Questions

  1. When should I start looking for an internship?
     If you are interested in starting an internship in June, we recommend that you start looking for opportunities in August - December because most large companies start recruiting way ahead of the internship start date. If you are interested in starting an internship in January, we recommend that you start looking in September - February.

  2. After an internship, will the company offer me a permanent position?
    A small but significant number of companies have hired our interns as permanent employees after they completed their internships. When this does not happen, an industrial internship still makes students more competitive and improves their chances of getting hired by other companies.

  3. What does the MBP do to help students find permanent positions?
    As part of our graduation requirements, students enroll in a three-quarter-long professional development course. This course provides students with the professional developmental skills necessary to succeed in the biotechnology industry. Each quarter, students learn different skills, such as fundamentals of resume and cover letter writing, the basics of LinkedIn for job/internship searches, networking skills, interviewing skills, and personal brand building. The MBP Assistant Director of External Relations & Career Management coaches students from the beginning of the program until they graduate and beyond.

  4. When should 2nd year students start looking for full-time positions?
    If the student is graduating in December, we recommend that s/he starts looking for a full-time position during the summer, preferably in June. If the student is graduating in June, s/he should start looking in December. Typically, it takes 6-8 months to find a full-time position.

  5. If I am an international student, will I have difficulty finding a job/internship?
    International students don’t usually have any significant difficulties finding internship opportunities. However, some companies do not sponsor international applicants for full-time jobs, so students should only focus on companies that do offer sponsorship.

Additional Questions

If you have a question which is not discussed here, please email the program.