SOMETIMES college can feel a bit like musical chairs. You’re scrambling to get the grades, declare the major and land the summer internship that could lead to bigger and better things after graduation. But what do you do when suddenly the music has stopped, school’s out for the summer – and you’re left standing without that internship?
First off, calm down. Your buddies might have lined up impressive gigs at white-glove law firms and top-tier magazines – big deal. With a little effort, this season could still be your most productive ever. Voila, your steps to summer success:
1. Think small. Larger firms tend to fill their internship slots early, but this does not apply to smaller organizations.
“Many small businesses would gladly support a summer intern; we simply haven’t had the time, or known where to look,” says Adrian Ott, CEO of Exponential Edge, a boutique consulting firm.
Contact your local Rotary or small-business organizations to get a list of area companies. And take heart: While large firms might pack more name recognition on your resume, smaller ones are more likely to actually give you interesting tasks and solid experience, says Trudy Steinfeld, executive director of NYU’s career development center. “You might end up learning far more.”
2. Go old school. Remember the good old days, when a summer job meant being a camp counselor, a tennis instructor or a lifeguard? The corporate internship has replaced the traditional summer job for many college students – and that’s a shame, say many professionals.
“When it comes down to it, I’d much rather hire someone who scooped ice cream at Friendly’s or started a lawn-care company than someone who did a cushy internship,” says Diane K. Danielson, the CEO of DowntownWomensClub.com and co-author of “Table Talk: The Savvy Girl’s Alternative Guide to Networking.”
“Personally, I never had an internship. But I served as program director for a tennis camp, and I learned to deal with irate parents and wild teenagers. I even had to negotiate with the Secret Service one time! And all before my 21st birthday.”
The fact is, there are valuable lessons to be learned at any job – it’s how you present what you learned that’s most important.
“You don’t want to say, ‘Oh, I was just a lifeguard,'” says Danielson. “Chances are, you managed other people, and you were responsible for the safety of hundreds of kids. That’s a really big deal! So demonstrate that responsibility and ownership.”
3. Volunteer vibes. If you’ve ever had a cause, a passion or just thought it might be nice to work on something that really interested you, now’s the perfect time to do it.
“Volunteer at a nonprofit that’s dear to your heart,” says Rachel Weingarten, president of GTK Marketing Group. “You’ll not only be doing a good deed, but you’ll also have the opportunity to network with other volunteers and officials – and have a strong selling point to add to your resume.”
4. The shadow knows. Learn through observation and do your homework. Do you want to work in magazines? Get in touch with someone who works in publishing and see if you can shadow them for a few hours. It’s a great way to observe the day-to-day tasks involved – and if you hit it off with the person, they could be a great contact down the road.
Another idea is to start lining up informational interviews. It’s great practice for your upcoming job search, and again, it’s a great way to get to know people in your chosen field.
5. Do your own thing. If you’ve always had a bit of an entrepreneurial bent, flex your muscles now. Start up a business, whether it’s the aforementioned lawn-care enterprise, child care or something completely different. This is a time to explore your professional possibilities and try things on for size. Who knows? You might end up stumbling onto something that becomes more than a summer fling.