Let’s be honest with ourselves: not everyone is excited when thinking of “internship” or “work experience”. The prospective of spending a summer – supposedly time for HOLIDAYS – to work and increase your CV is not the best one. However, experience is essential to get a good job after graduation, competition is hard, masters cost money… We all know that.
But there are some opportunities that could allow you to spend your summer travelling AND making experience. You don’t believe that? Keep reading and find the one that suits your interests.
1) You are keen on your values and on making the difference? Idealist.org is an independent platform that offers opportunities in many different nonprofit organisations, sorting them by location, language and compensation. As stated on their website, their mission is to connect “people, organizations, and resources to help build a world where all people can live free and dignified lives.” With them, you could work as a photography instructor in California, as a fundraiser in Cameroon or as a graphic designer in Shanghai!
2) Into travelling, meeting people and local cultures? AIESEC is the world’s largest youth-led organization and you can find it pretty easily worldwide (they are present in more than 113 countries). All you need to do is to find your local committee, complete the application and arrange an interview. You will spend 6-8 weeks in a country you choose, working as a teacher, researcher, producing a documentary, developing a marketing campaign or building softwares. At the same time you will live with local people who will introduce you to their culture and places and will have the time to discover the area around you.
3) You’d like to work in the US, maybe in marketing, design or fashion? Her Campus’s Careerette Section has always exclusive placements to offer. You could apply to become Junior Business Planner at Gucci, or Support Intern at Foursquare or Shoe Company Internship at Fortress of Inca? These employers are particularly looking for collegiettes, women who know what Her Campus is about. Who knows… Maybe joining us as a contributor could enhance your chances of getting a place!
4) Seeking a career into media? GoThinkBig always features great opportunities with Closer, Kerrang!, Channel 4, BBC and many others. Their application system is easy to use, allowing you to send tons of applications every dat. They also have an interesting blog with tips and advice on how to get an internship through them and make the most out of it. Personally, I can assure you that tons of people I know interned with them!
So what are you waiting for? Push yourself out there! Search, apply, and fly! Don’t forget that this kind of experiences looks extremely good on your CV. Make sure you can set something now as it can really be the chance of a lifetime. Carpe diem!