Summer Internship Search

"Now that the summer has arrived and I have free time, I'm ready to begin my summer internship search." Oddly enough, we in Career Services hear that phrase more often than you could imagine.  The academic year is definitely full of more hustle and bustle than the summer months, which leads students to put off their internship search until things have "calmed down."  The issue is that the hustle and bustle of the academic year also includes various career fairs, networking events, career development programs, and most notably on-campus interviews.  The majority of employers begin their hiring process for summer interns during the Fall semester; though some do hold off until Spring semester.

Don't worry though, all hope isn't lost.  Even though there may not be a significant amount of internships to pick from, there are definitely still a few available.  Kick your search into gear by getting organized!  Set a schedule for yourself - one hour each day of the week dedicated to your internship search. Step one, make sure your resume and cover letter are in tip-top shape.  If you would like for a counselor to look over your professional documents, you can set up an appointment by calling 414-288-7423.  Next step, look through those online search engines to see what's being posted online.  In conjunction with the previous step, network, network, network.  LinkedIn is still live and active during the summer months and the Marquette University Alumni Association grows in membership daily.

If it so happens that you can't seem to find an internship for this summer, do keep in mind that there are other options; career development takes place in many different forms.  Consider volunteering at a corporation/hospital/institution that aligns with your career field interest.  Even though you won't be getting paid, you'll still be gaining experience and environmental exposure.  Another option would be to shadow a professional in your industry of interest.  Spending a half day observing what someone in your industry of interest does, could answer a lot of questions you may have in regards to their daily functions and responsibilities.  If you're not necessarily looking to volunteer or shadow a professional, the other option would be to conduct an informational interview.  For at least 45 minutes, you could pick the brain of someone who is doing what it is you'd like to do.  Don't think of not getting an internship this summer as you being behind, think of it as getting an early start for next summer :-)