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With May comes “Hi LinkedIn! I’m excited to announce…”, signing offer letters and final calls for summer internship applications. If you are like most applicants, you’ve spent hours completing applications, reaching out to recruiters and polishing your resume. We’re still in the last wave of hiring so if you haven’t secured an internship as exhausting as it is, keep going. The end could be in sight if you continue to put your best foot forward for just a little while longer.
But what do you do if you can’t land an internship this summer? The career center has a contingency plan for you! Atop the list is to avoid internalizing rejection. Do not equate your worth or identity to professional misalignments. There are hundreds if not thousands of students gunning after the same roles nationwide, all with prestigious qualifications and accolades. Sometimes it comes down to hiring managers’ personal preferences and arbitrary distinctions. So, in other words, rejection doesn’t take away your professional achievements. The right opportunities will find you! Rejection is redirection, opportunity could be right around the corner.
College credit internships
Consider taking an internship that offers you college credit instead of monetary compensation. It may not sound the most enticing, but there is always value to be found in gaining work experience.
Through a college credit internship, you’ll still get ample opportunities to develop relationships and network with your colleagues. Look at these internship models as a viable way to get your foot in the door and to elevate your professional portfolio. Even though you aren’t getting paid, it’s still important to display your work ethic and the invaluable work you can bring to an organization. If impressed, the organization may even decide to bring you on full-time or offer you a paid role on their team.
You likely won’t have to work 35+ hours a week, which leaves plenty of time to reset physically and mentally from a demanding school year. Be clear about your boundaries. If the work begins to feel too overwhelming or takes away from other arising opportunities, be communicative with your supervisors about your needs.
Lastly, check in with your respective academic advisor to ensure that the internship will earn you credit with the university. Make sure that your supervisor can provide you with the appropriate documentation that you’ll need to hand over to your academic advising office.
Part-time gigs
If you’re unable to find remote work or college credit internships, consider taking on a part-time job. This would be great if you’re paying rent for the summer, need to save up some money for the fall, or want to take a vacation to decompress from the school year.
Think of this as the job fueling the “dream.” You won’t have significant gaps in your resume, and you’ll still have spending money. You’ll also have time to devote more time to honing in on things like obtaining certifications, taking summer classes, refreshing your resume, revamping your LinkedIn and refining your professional portfolio.
Essentially, you’ll have more time to do all the administrative tasks that can be easily neglected during the school year. You can even break things down month-by-month, setting goals for what you want to accomplish each month of the summer. By the time the fall semester begins, you’ll be ahead of the game, organized and that much more appealing to employers!
Parker Dewey
Parker Dewey is a career platform that features micro-internships and short-term opportunities. These opportunities are paid and are mostly project-based. Employers range from Fortune 100 corporations to emerging startup companies.
You may find this valuable if you’re looking to diversify your portfolio and if you enjoy working on something new every day! Start by creating an account and uploading your resume, from there viable opportunities will be at your fingertips. Because employers are looking for short-term hires, the application process moves quickly, so be sure to check back frequently! This is a great way to make extra money while strengthening your portfolio alongside working a part-time job or a college credit internship.
By Raigan Clay