With the semester soon coming to a close, college students everywhere are preparing to begin a summer internship. But for those who haven’t quite finished navigating the process yet, this next month can often be a scary and frustrating time. However, it’s important to remember that it’s never too late to snag a great position. Here’s some tips on what to do if you haven’t gotten a summer internship yet.
Schedule an Appointment With a Career Advisor
It’s always a good idea to check in with a career advisor before you graduate, but you may not know their guidance isn’t just limited to seniors searching for full-time work. These individuals have access to various internship listings you’ve probably never heard of, and they can often help point you in a direction you didn’t even know you wanted to take. These advisors are a great resources, use them!
Keep an Eye out for Networking Opportunities or Career Fairs
Check your university’s calendar to make sure you’re not missing any events on campus that might give you a chance to talk with alumni or potential employers. Some schools hold career fairs or other similar events really late in the year. Keep in mind that some companies also hired spring interns, so they may come to your school closer to the start of summer than you’d think.
Reach Out to Alumni
Alumni want to help current students at their alma mater succeed. Take some time to search for alumni from your university who work at a company you’d potentially like to intern for. Sending a brief, polite note on LinkedIn or giving one of them a ring may seem like a teeny step within a long process, but you’ll never know what doors could open until you try. Your effort to connect will not not go unnoticed, and they may be able to provide you with advice or a few contacts.
Use Online Databases
Job searching websites exist for a reason, and they’re not just limited to full-time careers. Sites like LinkedIn and Glassdoor contain multiple listings, and ones such as Internships.com and InternQueen are limited to internship openings alone. Give the online job hunting process a try and make sure to sign up to receive emails from your favorite websites so you can be the first to hear when a position you might be interested in opens up.
Cold-Call Companies You’re Interested in
Not all companies advertise openings for internships to the public and there’s no harm in calling up a potential employer to ask. Make sure your message is respectful and to the point and think of a few questions to ask them about the process ahead of time. If the company isn’t hiring interns at the time, you can also request to schedule an informational interview. Participating in one of these will help you prepare for future interviews and you’ll gain a valuable contact in the process.
Search for Part-time Work or Volunteer Opportunities
Whether it means working at your old high school job or searching for a volunteering position in your hometown, you don’t have to have an internship to get some great experience during the summer. This type of work will only strengthen your resume and your supervisors are also great people to use as references when you apply for internships the next time around.
Don’t Limit Yourself
Chances are, an internship will not satisfy the criteria for the dream job you’ve had in mind since the start of your college career. However, your internship will help you gain skills and knowledge you’d only be able to obtain by getting real experience in the workplace. This type of position is supposed to teach you, as well as help propel you into a position where getting that ideal job becomes more realistic. Experience is experience, so keep an open mind when conducting your search.
Make Sure to Stay Confident
This might be the most important thing you choose to do while hunting for any type of job. You can’t control which types of internship options exist, but you can control how you choose to use those options. You never know when a spot will suddenly open up or when a simple phone call will serve as the key step to landing a great position. Make sure to keep your head held high, and don’t give up on the process just yet.
Good luck on search, collegiates! The perfect internship for you may be just around the corner.
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