The flexible way to get work experience

The remote Externship is a new form of professional work experience structured with integrated learning. We don’t do simulations or busy work—real projects, real companies, real impact.

As an extern, you will dive into a strategic business problem defined by the company with which you are externing. You will familiarize yourself with the industry and problem space, study best practices, and learn from experts. Then you will use your strengthened skills to put together a concrete deliverable that addresses the core business problem and present it to the company. Along the way, you'll engage with a community of other passionate go-getters, career-switchers, and learners.

Externships can last anywhere between 2 to 8 weeks. During that time, you can expect to invest about 10-15 hours per week. This includes time spent learning, completing training, researching, and engaging with peers and professionals. Other than group sessions and meetings where you can connect with the company scheduled in the program, you can do this all on your own schedule!

Externships are designed to fit into your busy schedule and are fully remote and flexible.* That means you can do an Externship, whether you're in school, working full-time, doing a summer internship, or even on vacation.

Most of the work is asynchronous, done through the Extern platform, and any Externship meetings are recorded.*  

*There are a few small exceptions, please read program details.

When we say anyone, we mean anyone, can apply to an Externship! Whether you’re in college, taking some extra classes while working, recently graduated, or just trying to make a switch in your career, you’re  welcome! We really do believe anyone can benefit from work experience through an Externship as they discover new career paths and build their resume.

Just read the program details and make sure you’re able to commit 10-15 hours a week before applying. This encompasses the time spent learning and completing training, researching, and attending meetings. Ready to get started? Apply for an Externship now.

Most Externships have rolling start dates. We fill Externship cohorts on a first-come, first-served basis and will send you a start date with your offer. If the dates offered don’t work for you, we may be able to help you adjust your start date or potentially move to another Externship that aligns with your career ambitions (subject to availability).

If you’re ready to get some work experience, apply for one of our upcoming Externships here.

Absolutely, you can network with the Externship host company! Just like in any professional role, every interaction you have is a kind of networking. Networking is fundamentally about forging relationships and establishing trust. Whether during a meeting or through your project submissions and presentations, each instance is a valuable opportunity to leave a lasting, positive impression.

Think of an Externship as a sneak peek into your future career, but with training wheels. It's your golden ticket to dive into real projects that companies actually use, giving you a front-row seat to what life looks like in your dream job. It's about taking all that theory you've crammed into your brain and applying it to the real world, boosting your skills, and getting a feel for different career paths. Forget the old-school classroom vibe; an Externship is your chance to test-drive potential jobs and employers, making sure you're building the skills that matter in the real world. It's all about making your leap into the professional world smoother and smarter.

An Externship is what you make of it, but many students have found that Externships significantly bolster their employment prospects. In fact, 2 out of 3 externs who’ve completed our Externships typically find an internship or full-time role within a year of completing the Externship.

Success stories abound, with students citing these experiences as pivotal in their hiring processes. It is often difficult for students to get their foot in the door when launching a career. Because the number of available internships vastly exceeds the number of students that apply to them, there exists a chicken-and-egg problem and students often find they need an internship to get an internship. 

If you look at postings for most full-time jobs seeking “entry-level” employees today, you'll find at least three years of experience required for a majority of them! It takes experience to get experience, so having an Externship (or a few!) on your resume could be just what you need to catch the eye of a recruiter. Though nothing guarantees an offer, work experience like an Externship serves as a positive sign to talent leaders that you’ve developed real-world skills that will be relevant in the workplace.

No. Externships are designed to expose students to real work via business projects offered by partner companies. Externs receive mentorship and training as they’re introduced to the project by experts. They then complete assignments and a final presentation or report of their analysis, according to a curriculum.

We have some amazing Externship partners, so we understand wanting to apply to them all! That said, as most career coaches will tell you, the days of the “spray and pray” applications are long gone—you’ll do much better to focus on one tailored application than submitting the same general application to multiple postings. We recommend that you focus on the Externship that best fits your educational and career interests. If you are interested in being considered for other Externships, feel free to mention that in your interview—and don’t worry, this won’t hurt your chances of being accepted to the Externship you are applying for.

Although we recommend only applying to one Externship at a time, if you applied to two or more, don’t worry. We will process one application and will keep in mind that you were interested in being considered for multiple opportunities. The best way of being considered for multiple Externships is crafting a tailored application for the one Externship that best fits your educational and career interests, since that will increase your chances of being selected to submit a recorded video and live video interview. When you have a chance to share more about your background then, you can express your interest in other Externships then—this won’t hurt your chances of being accepted to the Externship you are applying for.

At Extern, we want to democratize access to pivotal work experience opportunities for all students. We know how hard it is to get hired without prior experience, and that access to opportunities is not equal to all students. That’s why our Externships focus on candidates’ potential, rather than their previous experience.

Here are qualities top externs have consistently demonstrated:

• Passion: You’ll spend a lot of time diving into your Externship project, so being passionate about the company hosting your Externship and the project you’re doing is a must. We also look for a passion for learning new skills and coming up with new ideas.

• Time-management skills: Externships are designed to be flexible, but they do require an investment of about 10-15 hours a week, so strong time-management skills are a must.

• Preparation & Professionalism: You were selected for this program from many, many aspiring candidates so show up with your best self and make the most of the opportunity! This means proactively ask for help, engage with questions, be on time and present for scheduled meetings and prepare in advance.

• Drive: You wouldn’t be here if you weren’t self-motivated. Your Externship will be remote and most of it asynchronous—on your own time. We’ll support you along the way, but you’re in the driver's seat.

• Openness to feedback: You’re here to learn, so be open to feedback from your Extern Program Manager, company leads, and your peers.

• Communication skills: Since our externs usually have ambitious schedules and life sometimes happens, proactive communication is a must.

While the Externship application process varies for different programs, there are up three stages a successful candidate might complete during selection:
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‍1. Written application: Think of this as your first impression: we want to hear why you think this Externship is right for you. You’ll answer one or two questions about the program you’re applying for and your interest in it. 

‍2. Recorded video submission: Grab your camera and tell us your story! If you’re selected for this stage, we want to get to know more about you: what excites you, what you prioritize and what kind of learner you are. You’ll record answers to a few questions through an online portal.

‍3. Live video interview: We can’t wait to meet you—if you’re selected for this stage, one of our interviewers will connect for a scheduled 10-20 minute call. These are short, but pack a punch! We’re looking to go a bit deeper into your background and have a conversation about the opportunities and challenges of our Externships. You can also use this time to ask any specific questions that our FAQs don’t address.

We’ve all applied to programs and been turned down. We know it’s not always easy to put yourself out there. Our Externships are competitive, so we are unable to accept all our applicants. However, if you are turned down from your top choice, you’re welcome to apply to a different Externship. Here are some general tips that we swear by:

• Double-check that you meet the program requirements
• Research the opportunity
• Tailor your resume to the posting
• Spell-check your resume and written application
• Make a clear connection between your interests and the opportunity
• If you get nervous before interviews, practice with a friend
• If you are still interested in the same Externship you were just turned down for, the earliest you can re-apply and be considered is 6 months after your application date. Either way, we want you to succeed! 

Internships, Externships, and apprenticeships are all forms of work experience, but they differ in structure, purpose, and duration.

     • Internships are temporary, usually in-person positions that often span an entire summer, where college students and new graduates work within an organization to gain practical experience in a specific field.
     • Externships are short, flexible, remote work projects that can be undertaken throughout the school year, allowing students to explore various career paths and gain an edge in their fields.
     • Apprenticeships are longer term programs, more popular in technical fields. They combine on-the-job training with classroom instruction, can last several years and are aimed at teaching the skills necessary for a particular trade or profession.