Didn’t Get That Summer Internship? Here’s Plan B.
5 steps to a productive summer.
So you went through the whole school year spending all those hours prepping your resume, doing those interviews, and crossing your fingers. Unfortunately, things just didn’t go your way and you didn’t get that internship you were dying to get. It’s the end of the world now, right? Wrong!
One of the things I grew up learning was that everything happens for a reason. Maybe you were meant to spend your summer doing something else? Maybe there’s an even bigger opportunity that’s going to happen that wouldn’t of happened if you got that internship. Don’t spend the whole summer tanning and partying; try to be productive so that next summer, you land that position you’ve been working so hard to get. I promise it’ll pay off.
Here are some things that I’ve done in the past and that I’ve seen other people do when they don’t end up getting an internship for the summer.
1. Leave no stone unturned.
Have you tried every possible internship opportunity? You don’t have to get offers from the biggest companies or the highest paid positions. There are so many companies still looking to fill roles so go find them, even if they are unpaid! This is critical experience that you need! Everyone has these small steps in their career that lead them to the next experience; don’t underestimate them. They’re really worth it.
2. Volunteer.
How about some community service? Volunteering is a great way to gain experience & skills and it lets you give back to the community. Go help out at a local YMCA or even the nearest soup kitchen! Employers love volunteer work because it shows productivity and humanitarianism. According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, those who volunteer have a 27% higher chance of finding a job than those who don’t. Also, it just feels good to know you’ve done something for a good cause. ☺
3. Continue your education.
If you aren’t burnt out from classes all year, how about taking a class or two at your school to get ahead in credits! You’ll also have more time to study than you do during a normal semester. How about take some classes at another school that aren’t offered at yours? These don’t have to earn you college credit or cost you money. A great service I use to take classes at schools like Stanford is Coursera. There are some really interesting classes offered there and they can be done at your own time, online! I highly recommend this!
4. Summer research.
Some schools offer summer research opportunities on subjects from Biology to Economics! Go find out if your school offers some. If not here are some links to help you find opportunities at other schools:
Summer Undergraduate Research Programs
What are the good summer research programs/internships for international students in the USA?
5. Side projects.
If you can’t find your own job, why not make one yourself? Employers love students who take initiative and start their own projects! Maybe you have this really cool app idea that you’ve always wanted to make? Maybe you’ve always wanted to write your own book? This is literally a perfect time to go and do that! Sometimes, side projects look even better than some actual work experiences because it shows that you are determined and would rather do something than sit around all day. There are resources all over the web that can help get you started, here are a few:
How should I start writing my novel?
Where can I learn how to make a website?
So, hopefully you’ve been motivated by one or more of these five suggestions! There are also a lot of other things you can spend your summer doing! How about doing some freelance work or getting a part-time job? You can save some cash and gain some experience outside of school doing this! How about working on your web presence and beefing up that LinkedIn? Why not get ahead on classes next semester and do some early reading and studying? Your professors would love that!
I’m not trying to say you should have a boring summer and not enjoy it at all! Hang out with your friends, take a vacation, go out and have fun! But remember you wanted that internship for a reason and just because you didn’t get it, doesn’t mean you should just give up on having a meaningful summer now… Why not spend the summer getting high on productivity? #turndownforwhat
