As I know all of you are furiously searching through MOJO (www.middmojo.com) trying to find a summer internship or a job for your fine self, you might have stumbled across the disclaimer “JUNIORS ONLY.” To us juniors, this is no biggie, in fact we like it, because we are juniors and it narrows the pool of applicants giving us a better shot. However, for all you younglings out there, those two words “JUNIORS ONLY” have or will make you a little bit ticked off and raise the body temperature a bit. Well, that’s why I am here to ease the pain and let some of the hot air out of your little heads.

First off, let me dive into what exactly is meant by the term “JUNIORS ONLY” actually means when applying to summer internships or jobs. Well, from a glance, it means that you have to be a junior but more officially it means you have to meet one of these two criteria:

1)      You only have one semester at Middlebury remaining at Middlebury remaining after the summer internship (meaning you are a Senior Feb graduate, i.e. Febs graduating in ’10.5)

2)      You have two semesters left after the summer internship (meaning you graduating in May ’11)

When I first saw an internships for “JUNIORS ONLY” I only really thought of it for regular juniors. But, I poked myself and remembered that Febs are real people too, and they need to know what a junior is too. Now for you current Junior Febs such as the gentleman and scholar Peter Thugwood, this might come as a bit of a shock because you. Even though you are a junior at least in my eyes, you actually do not fit the “JUNIORS ONLY” criteria.

Those that don’t fit may throw your hat and say, “This isn’t fair gosh darn it!” or “I’m just as smart as a junior, in fact I am OLDER than a junior!” Well, although I do have the world’s smallest violin playing a sad song for you, it’s not the end of the world and there is, believe it or not, some rational behind the whole “JUNIORS ONLY” gig.

First off, it is the employer not CSO that provides the internship opportunity and therefore it is the employer that decides the criteria for each applicant. Essentially, the CSO has nothing to do with the whole “JUNIORS ONLY” song and tango, the employers request it. Now although you First-years may think you just as big and bad as some juniors, and you very well may be, some employers look for juniors for a few pretty good reasons. One, with more years of college under your belt you grow up a little more and know the ropes a little better, or at least that’s what employers see. Also, in accruing more years of college experience you have the opportunity to take more relevant course work to a specific job. You may have had other summer internships or jobs that prepare you for the internship you are applying for. Also, many of these summer internships that say “JUNIORS ONLY” offer full time positions at the completion of the internship program. How can you accept a full time position if you won’t be graduating the following year? Exactly, we think of everything.

This post was not meant to break any parades or rain on any hearts; I am just here to help. But don’t worry! If you are not a junior and can’t apply to certain internships, there are still plenty others out there for you to poke your nose around in!

As always, if you need anything, contact CSO or come to drop ins! Mon.-Fri. 2-5 PM. Over and out.