Summer is coming. For some people, that means heading off to a summer job. For others, it means heading off to an internship to gain experience in your field. Finding an internship can be just as hard as the work you are doing at the internship, but with these steps, it can be easy.

Step 1. What do you want?

I'm a Communication Studies major, so the field wasn't exactly narrow. I didn't know if I wanted to do radio, television, newspaper, or something totally different. I did know, however, that I didn't want to do a Public Relations firm. It's as important to know what ou want do to versus what you don't want to do.

Step 2. Make a list

I'm a list fanatic. I live and die by my to-do list. So staying with tradition, I made a list of all the places I could think of. This included all of the radio stations, news stations, and newspapers in my hometown. Then, it was time to put in the legwork.

Step 3. Find the contact information

I also made a spreadsheet to keep track of all the information I was going to have. Thanks to the wonderful internet, it's now much easier to find the contact information for each of the places.

Step 4. Start calling

An email can go unanswered for quite a while, so, as weird as it is in today's world of emails, pick up your phone and make a phone call. Just tell the receptionist that you are interested in an internship and that you need to speak with the person in charge of internships.

Step 5. Have your materials ready

The different companies that you contact will probably want to see your resume. Go ahead and have it ready in order to send it to them as soon as possible.

Step 6. Be persistent

There is a fine line between persistent and pestering. Toe that line. Make sure they have everything that they need from you and there are no loose ends.

Step 7. Accept your best

Weigh out the pros and cons of each internship that you're offered. Then, decide which internship will get you further with connections, skills, and

Step 8. Never say no

You never know when you might need to refer back to other internships or companies. A company you "turned down" an internship with, you may end up working for in the future. Keep it to a simple "I have found an internship for the summer, but thank you for the opportunity," and keep the option open in the future.

Step 9. Kick butt

When you finally decide on that perfect internship, work your butt off. Do your best for the company. You never know when you might need a recommendation, a reference, or maybe even a job.