Start Your Internship Search Early
Be aware that certain industries and internships have early application deadlines. Some companies may recruit and hire as early as November for a summer internship. Beginning your internship search during winter break affords you additional lead time before the summer months. It can also give you the opportunity to make valuable connections with alumni or professionals within organizations of interest prior to returning to school. Check with your college’s Career Services Office for assistance in finding out which internships recruit early.
Consider a Variety of Internships That Match Your Career Interests
Decide what you want to do, but don’t worry about being too specific. Gaining experience in a number of career fields is a good idea if you are unsure about the career you want to pursue in the future. Think about what you enjoy and how that might parlay into a career. Do you enjoy watching shows on finance and investing? Home improvement? History? Are you interested in social activism and making a difference in the world? Then look for and apply to internships in those different fields. These can give you exposure to opportunities and a chance to sample new and exciting career fields.
Network With Everyone
Speak with family, friends, faculty, college advisors, and career counselors in the Career Services Office at your college about what type of internship you want and when and where you want to do it. Contacting alumni from your college and doing informational interviews can provide you with valuable information on career options and internships that you can pursue. Be sure to send a thank you note to them for sharing their time and expertise.
Use All the Online Resources
Your Career Services Office at your college will likely have recommended internship resources that you might use or subscribe to, but go deeper with your online search. From Internships.com and Indeed to more niche websites that list internships and jobs for specific industries, such as Mediabistro (for media and communications professionals), you should search far and wide for an internship. You can also make a list of companies you admire and go directly to their websites to see if they have any internship openings. If they don’t, try setting up a Google Alert that will send you an email any time an internship is posted online—just use the right keywords so you get quality alerts to your inbox.
Attend Career Fairs
Check with your Career Services Office at your college to identify career and/or internship fairs. Top employers attend career fairs to recruit, screen, and hire talented interns and employees. You can also attend conferences—both in person and online—to connect with recruiters who may be there speaking about tips for navigating your carer. They may be able to tell you if their company has any internship openings.
Contact Employers
You can email, call, or visit local employers in your area to ask about summer jobs/internships. Again, be prepared to give a 60-second introduction that sells skills and explains how you can be of value. Focus on summer jobs available and, if interested, consider camp or resort opportunities to gain additional interpersonal and communication skills. Temp agencies also provide information on the employment needs of local employers. Be sure to follow up with employers whenever possible to arrange an in-person or telephone interview.
Start Your Own Small Business To Gain Experience
Do you have special skills or a way of meeting a market need? As a high school or college student, you could start a small business to get experience. You could leverage this experience to get more internships and jobs in the future. Future employers are sure to be impressed by your initiative and hard work. This small business could also open up your network and connect you with employers and companies that may want to hire you as an intern.
