So you are entering one of the most competitive job climates in decades (only slight improvements from last summer when unemployment for students aged 15 to 24 hit nearly 20% and the second highest since 1977). If you’re one of thousands of students still looking for an internship, don’t worry there is still plenty of opportunities out there.
Here are three suggestions to help you expand your internship search if you are still trying to find that perfect summer internship.
Use the tough market as an opportunity to explore new industries and interests:
For example if you are a student looking for an internship in marketing you may have already applied to every major marketing firm in your area without any luck. However, there are a large number of non-profits and small and medium sized businesses that need help with social media, collateral building, or marketing strategy. While such organizations may be off the beaten path, they offer great experience and are an ideal opportunity for those who are still looking for summer experience.
Make Your Own Internship Position:
Another option which was recently written about in the Wall Street Journal is to create your own internship position. While this sounds like a lot of work, it has actually been successful for a number of self-starters. So how do you do it?
During your college career you have probably developed a number of unique skills and interests that can add a lot of value to an organization. This could be a powerful knowledge of Photoshop, a great blog writing style, or any number of other skills. Meanwhile, many organizations right now are understaffed and over-worked, so if you can make a compelling argument as to how your skills could improve their mission, they just might be interested.
This approach requires you to be proactive and to call the organizations where you think you would make the best fit. I realizer cold calling can be intimidating, but remember that the person on the other line is simply a professional in your industry who most likely got their start doing something similar.
Apply, Apply, Apply:
Lastly, in the current job market it is essential to be persistent. If you apply to only a few positions and don’t hear back, or get turned down quickly, do not take this personally. We recommend that students apply to somewhere between 10-20 opportunities. However, I have seen other students find a great position after 30-40 application attempts.
With the number of days before finals and graduation dwindling, it is still not too late to find yourself a great internship for this summer. By thinking dynamically about what you want to do and being persistent in pursuing these possibilities, you will give yourself the best chance. In the end, mastering the application process itself is a valuable and lasting skill, so keep at it and try to enjoy the internship hunt.
