Every spring, a fresh wave of stress washes over students as they begin to look for summer internships . . . followed by a tidal wave if you fail to get one. Personally, I experienced that tidal wave, and as summer loomed closer, I thought I would never land an internship. I had recieved 9 rejections, out of 9 applications. But I was determined to find something for myself this summer, and explored every option possible, using the strategies below. Miraculously, with help of some internet research and networking, I found some great options and one came through! Here are some tips for finding an internship at the last minute.
1. One student’s trash is another student’s treasure: If you ever signed up for those Career Service emails, then you probably get a weekly slew of them that you quickly delete. But if you’re on the prowl for an internship, you should look through them—even the old ones–as there may be a listing for your dream (paid) internship! If you’ve never looked into this resource, I highly suggest you take a power walk to the Union (Career Services is on the post office level). You could also start by visiting http://www.davidson.edu/offices/career-development. Most of the deadlines passed earlier in the semester, but a few wrap up later – and even if there’s not an intership listed, you can find some email addresses of people worth contacting and asking if there are any other opportunities.
2. The Slug Club: Good old Professor Slughorn… As always, Harry Potter imparts an important lesson: your professors are well connected! Unless they live in a cupboard under the stairs, they know other people in their field. Ask them if they know anyone you might be able to work for or intern with. If they or other professors do research, you might apply to intern with them for the summer—getting hired internally is generally easier than applying outside. Even if they don’t know anyone or have an opportunity for you in-school, they are bound to have good advice or know someone that you can ask about a last-minute internship.
3. Wildcats, everywhere….we’re all in this together: Alumni! Alumni everywhere! There are always former Davidson grads out there in a field you’d like to explore, and chances are, they remember what you are going through now, and they will be thrilled to help you even at the last minute. When you visit Career Services, ask them to set you up on Wildcat Link so you can find alumni in your fields of interest. Whether the alum can offer you a position, put a good word in for you with her superior, or give some advice, don’t neglect this excellent resource.
4. Parents are people, too: while we’re brainstorming people to ask…what about your parents (or even grandparents)? Do they work in a field that you are interested in? Even if you don’t want to work with your folks, you could see if one of their co-workers would be interested (bonus: free housing and a ride to work). You could also see if they know someone in your field of interest. Maybe their old college roommate is a software developer now, or that guy your dad played soccer with currently runs a publishing house. They might be wiling to help an old friend at the last minute. Plus, they’ll help because they don’t want you end up like this:
5. Ask the Google: We live in an age of information technology. Use it. Google a firm that you have heard of and think you might like to work for, and search their site for internships. Or just type in “___________ summer internships.” Some sites list internships that still have open applications, or you might find volunteer opportunities or job shadowing experiences. You might not get paid (you probably won’t get paid), but you could get valuable expereience. Looking online is one of your best resources. Get creative with your searches, and you will be rewarded.
6. Think outside the cubicle: Early in your college career, not sure what you want to do with your life yet, or just feeling out of luck? Maybe it’s time to forget about an internship. Don’t too pressured to follow the norm and have an internship over the summer. Instead, try something new and out of the box! If you really want to be a publisher but can’t seem to get any internships on that front, see if you can get one with, say, graphic design—a different job in the same broad media industry that will round you out as a person when the next application season comes. Or, if you decide not to pursue an internship, look into some local classes and learn a new, valuable skill for the future: accounting, web design, communication, management . . . the list is endless. While skills like this might not directly contribute to work experience, they will certainly round out your resume and may add some helpful life skills. Besides, there’s no reason to lock yourself in an office this early in life, right?
7. If all else fails, make a video begging for a job: Take a cue from my friend Caylyn and I and make a music video. Video resume, anyone?
P.S. Spoiler alert: the video was NOT what got me my summer job – I succeeded thanks to #4 on this list.