Prospective employers value the experience you will gain from volunteer work and internships—paid or unpaid—at any position connected to public history. Think broadly! Internships in marketing, public relations, digital humanities, and education are useful. Getting your foot in the door is the most important thing. Do not overlook your local historical society, art museums, and historical sites, and do not be afraid to knock on their doors with your resume in hand. Internships and volunteer opportunities can be remote or in person, but both are highly competitive, so begin the process early, and write as strong an application as you can. this Letters of recommendation are usually required, so please look here for advice about how to ask your faculty for recommendation letters: How to Ask a Professor for a Letter of Recommendation.
The following Public History professional associations often list job and internship opportunities:
National Council on Public History: https://ncph.org/
Society of American Archivists: https://www2.archivists.org/
American Alliance of Museums: https://www.aam-us.org/
American Association for State and Local History: https://aaslh.org/
National Park Service: https://www.nps.gov/index.htm
National Collaborative for Women’s History Sites: https://ncwhs.org/
National Trust for Historic Preservation: https://savingplaces.org/
American Cultural Resources Association: https://acra-crm.org/
Center for History and New Media: https://rrchnm.org/
Oral History Association: https://www.oralhistory.org/
At Iowa State University, we are lucky to have several internship opportunities. These are also highly competitive.
Iowa State University Museums Internships: https://www.museums.iastate.edu/learn/internship-opportunities