In a competitive job market, it's practically essential to get an internship. We've heard it a million times. But what happens if you do everything right, apply for internships and network with professionals, but summer comes and you don't ever get an offer? For every student that gets an internship, there are a hundred who applied and were denied. Now school is over, and you're not quite sure what you can do. You can keep searching and pray that someone will give you something, even if it's unpaid and definitely NOT your dream internship, you can find something else to occupy your time, but don't spend the whole summer watching Netflix and tanning. Here are six things that will help you be better prepared for next summer's internships.
Get an interesting job.
Image Source: bit.ly/1AQmFz7.
If you still haven't had a part time job by now, I think it's time you get one. If your resume is bare of work experience, this summer would be a good time to show potential employers that you know how to follow orders and show up on time. They're simple things, but if you've never had a crappy part time job before, you don't really know what to expect in a corporate environment.
If you've worked before, find a part time job that you think would actually be interesting. Work in a food truck or at an overnight camp. Get a job somewhere where they give great employee discounts, or in a field you've never been in before. Go out of your comfort zone and pick up some new skills. Working at the Gap for 5 years is great, but you won't get the same experience of as a bartender, or an event planner's assistant. Try something new!
Travel
Image of Katie Stienburg and Lane Olander of Alpha Epsilon Phi .
College is the only time in your life when you aren't tied down by an employer, or children, or other obligations. Go visit your aunt in California for a few weeks just because you can. Have a spontaneous camping trip with your significant other, or go backpacking abroad. Having no responsibility or a regular schedule this summer, allows you the freedom to go wherever you please. Visit some family members that you haven't seen in years, or go to a city you've never been to before.
Work on your personal brand.
Spend this summer working on growing yourself. Redo your resume, practice writing cover letters, connect with people on Linkedin, and make a game plan for getting an internship next summer or getting your real job. Read articles and books that will inspire you. Learn programs that are important in your field. Clean up and maintain your social media accounts. Write for an online publication or create a portfolio. Spend the summer polishing everything and go into the next school year prepared for the competitive internship and job market
Volunteer
Find a way to volunteer in the field that you're trying to get into, or with a cause that you feel passionate about. Lots of places take volunteers, and you can learn valuable skills while feeling good doing it. Look up places where you can volunteer in your town, or talk to the volunteer coordinator from your high school, and see if they have a list of local places that are actively looking for volunteers.
Work on a hobby.
Is there something that you've always wanted to do, but you've never quite had the time? Well now you have the whole summer. Get some inspiration from Pinterest and teach yourself how to sew, create a blog, or sell crafts on Etsy. Learn calligraphy or a new language. Brownie points if you're interested in something that will help you in your future career. But running a successful Etsy store, or creating a food blog can sometimes be a better experience than a generic internship that everyone else in your major has. Write a novel, or train for a marathon. Do something that will make you happy. Something that will make you feel like you achieved something this summer.
Take summer classes or teach yourself a skill
Have fun this summer! Just because you're doing something different than your peers doesn't mean that you aren't getting as good of an experience. And just because you don't have an internship this summer, doesn't mean you won't get a job. Take advantage of this time you have to better yourself. If you're really worried about not having an internship, try looking for internships in the spring or fall. Some companies even have short “winternships", that take place during winter break.
