Last summer, I was in a bit of a panic. No one should be panicking over the summer, right? The reason I was stressing out was because the summer was coming to an end and I didn’t have an internship set up for my senior year yet. Luckily, everything worked out and I found an internship that I love! Here are some tips for landing an internship for the school year, while still being able to enjoy the beach!
1. Start as early as you can.
If you’re a rising junior or even sophomore, starting an internship now isn’t a bad idea. Before coming to Emmanuel, I was under the impression that people didn’t start interning until they had to. This is not true at all. It’s good to get a head start and try out a few different things. You’ll also have more experience and skills to put on your resume.
2. Don’t be afraid to try something new.
I’m a psychology major but ended up interning in social media marketing and public relations. And guess what? I couldn’t be happier that I made this decision! It opened my eyes to something that I was always interested in but didn’t think to do since I was so focused on an internships based on clinical work. Some majors allow you to take many career paths; don’t let your major define you.
3. Take advantage of the Career Center.
The Career Center has been super helpful for me over the last couple of years. I made an appointment to get my resume looked at and they helped me give it a complete makeover. If you need help finding an internship, they’ll give great suggestions for sites based on your interests. Don’t have time to stop in? New internships and volunteer positions are posted on HireSaints every day.
4. Make a LinkedIn profile.
LinkedIn is basically a combination of a social media profile and a resume, but unlike a resume, you’re not limited to a single page. You can add classmates and coworkers as connections to expand your network, which can help you find more internship and job opportunities.
5. Network with Emmanuel alumni
Emmanuel hosts lots of alumni panels in which alums come in to discuss their careers with current students. These are awesome to attend because you’ll learn about new career paths and can score some contact information from people who might be able to help you out.
Good luck with your internship search, Saints!