The Spire

Pam Ahearn

Manager Employer Partnerships

Center for Career Development

While we understand that the IDEAL situation for sophomores and juniors this summer is a full time, paid internship in the exact industry and functional area that you are most interested in exploring, unfortunately this does not always occur.  Even for the most conscientious and eager students, internships can remain elusive.  The internship search process is very competitive with thousands of college students vying for the same positions throughout the academic year.  If you haven’t secured and internship by the end of the semester and need a Plan B, check out the following suggestions:

1.    Focus on skills you want to develop and target ways to improve those skills whether that is through summer employment at a local eatery, camp or the local pool.  Think about how you can articulate these transferable skills to a prospective employer. I recently attended a conference where an employer shared the story of a student with only waitressing and babysitting experience.  He said that during her interview she was able to clearly articulate the skills that she had developed through both of those jobs and how those skills aligned with the position at hand.  She convinced him that she was the best person for the job and was hired!  

2.    Network. Network. Network. Networking with alumni during the summer months is a great way to discuss your career interests and ask for advice and guidance.  Meet for coffee and conduct informational interviews to learn more about an industry and the various ways to gain entrance into that field.  Ask for suggestions on courses, co-curricular involvement, and professional journals to read.  Holy Cross alumni are generous with their time and completely willing to discuss their career journeys with undergraduates.  The HC Network and LinkedIn are effective resources for identifying possible connections/contacts.

3.    Consider a part time, unpaid position that would allow you to gain exposure to an industry or career of interest.  Volunteer work shows a demonstrated interest and commitment to a particular field and allows you to better understand the different roles within that area. Ideally you could additionally work at a part time, paid job to offset the cost of volunteer work. Don’t forget, you can apply for internship funding for unpaid opportunities through June 6th.  Shadowing experiences can also show a demonstrated interest in an industry and allows for exposure to a particular field.   

4.    Return to your former summer job and ask for more responsibility. Employers like to have workers return because they don’t have to be trained.  You can literally hit the ground running on your first day back. What employer wouldn’t love that? Consider inquiring about leadership positions within the organization such as head lifeguard or shift manager. This is a great way to show progression within an organization. Additionally talk to your manager and offer to help out with the organizations’ social media presence, website development or logistics depending on your area of interest.

5.  In addition, leverage any personal contacts you may have. There is no shame in contacting aunts, uncles, cousins, parents, neighbors, or friends to inquire about summer opportunities like internships, or shadowing experiences. 

6.    Finally, consider taking a class and/or get certified in something of interest to you, i.e. certified nursing assistant, actuarial exams.  These certifications can give you a leg up on your competition when looking for a full time position or internship next year.