Monday, April 22, 2013

Is it too late? Searching for a Summer Internship in April & May

Student regularly ask whether it is too late to find a summer internship in the months of April & May. For those of you who have wanted to ask but maybe haven't, the answer is NO, it's not too late!

Each week L&S Career Services learns of new internships that are still available for the Summer term. Yes, there are many internship programs that have completed their hiring and many that are finalizing offer. This said, some organizations have just started thinking about their staffing needs and abilities for the Summer!

Here are 5 quick tips for searching for an internship in April & May:

  1. Be ready to put in the time. Searching for an internship takes time and you will need to put the same amount of time in to the search but in a shorter time-frame
  2. Be strategic. When searching, know the following about your needs: 
    • What geographic location are you looking in? 
    • What industries are you interested in? 
    • What skill do you have? What skills do you want to develop?
    • What financial consideration do you need to make?
  3. Be organized. Create a detailed  list to keep your search organized. List the following:
    • Organization name
    • Contact person & information
    • Organization website and posting URL
    • Reasons why your interested
    • Application deadline (if applicable)
    • Dates of communication (ex. if you emailed them asking about a position, record it)
  4. Be the initiator. Reach out to organizations that are interesting to you and let them know what you are looking for and why you are interested in them.
  5. Be open. Look for opportunities that will give you a quality experience even if it is not your "dream" internship. Not all internships are well-marketed so look for opportunities through your networks!
As always, if you have questions, come visit us at L&S Career Services. 

Internship Drop-in Hours: Monday-Friday 12:00-1:00 PM; Tuesday 4:30-5:30 PM