It’s April, and many students may be feeling distress right now about not having a summer internship lined up — but they should not. There are still some opportunities to find a summer internship, and there are plenty of other opportunities for gainfully spending the summer even if an internship doesn’t work out.
Conventional wisdom says April is far too late to find a good summer internship, but this isn’t necessarily true. Although application dates for most structured programs with large firms have long since closed, many less formal opportunities with smaller companies can still be found.
The key to finding a last minute summer job will be to be very proactive. If you have a “default” city you’ll be living in this summer, start checking Careerolina, Monster, Indeed and similar sites every single day for possible internships, and apply to everything you might be interested.
You may be surprised at how many last-minute postings there are. Don’t be afraid to call a business or company directly to inquire about a possible opening.
Don’t overlook unpaid internships either. Many employers will allow an unpaid intern to only work part-time, allowing time to earn money in another job.
Even without an internship, there are plenty of other summer jobs that help you gain experience. A part-time job, volunteer work, travel or summer classes are all valuable ways to spend your time, and you still have plenty of time to find something to do this summer — but don’t delay.
