Carrington College Blog

How to find a last-minute summer internship

May 15, 2013
Use these strategies to find a last-minute internship this summer.

Picture this scenario: The semester is ending and you have no plans for the summer. You’ve secured a part-time job, but really want to use this time to gain career experience. How can you find an internship at the last minute? While the situation is certainly difficult, it’s not impossible to remedy – it just requires a bit more gumption.

Follow-up on applications

If you’ve been applying for internships throughout the semester and have yet to receive any replies, now is the time to start following up. If you applied online or via email, it’s entirely possible that no one ever saw your application. If you haven’t heard anything in two weeks, follow up with a phone call.

Tap into your network

If the desire to land a summer internship is a recent development, you’ll want to tap into your social and professional networks to see if anyone has any leads. Talk to your parents, friends and instructors, or connections on LinkedIn to see if anyone knows of any internship openings.

Use search engines

The internet can also be a helpful resource for finding available internships. Websites like InternQueen.com, Idealist.org, Experience.com and Indeed.com post tons of internship listings and some can even give you valuable advice. You can also put your search engine skills to the test by typing the name of your major and “internship” into the search boxes and doing some hunting.

Target local businesses

At this stage in the game, it’s likely that many of the more coveted internship positions are already filled. However, local companies may still be in need of your services, particularly if you’re willing to take an unpaid internship. Ask around and you may be pleasantly surprised.