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6 Tips for Landing a Last-Minute Summer Internship

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Summer is nearly here, and college students (along with some particularly ambitious high schoolers) who don't already have plans are scrambling to snag a last-minute internship.

The reality is that by the time May comes around, many student-friendly jobs are already taken. "Organizations have been recruiting all year for internships," says Philip D. Gardner, director of the College Employment Research Institute at Michigan State University.

Still, Gardner says, students who haven't yet secured a spot shouldn't give up hope. The internship market may not be as robust as it was in February, he tells Money, "but with some diligence, students should find them."

Diligence, that is, combined with some smart searching skills. Keep these five tips in mind while on the hunt for the perfect summer job:

1. Ask the right questions

Summer positions aren't beneficial for their own sake. The point of an internship is to give students real work experience that will eventually lead to a job in their chosen field, or help them decide whether that field is really where they want to work after graduation. So even last-minute job seekers shouldn't leap at the first offer.

"Some offices offer internships to people trying to get cheap labor," Gardner says. Students who coasted into positions with family friends or took the first offer "got an internship to put on their resume, but it didn't get them where they wanted to go."

According to Gardner, the key to finding a really useful internship is asking the right questions:

"What professional outcomes am I going to be able to obtain from this internship?"
"Will this allow me to develop teamwork skills or apply learning to problem-solving in this area?"
"Will I be able to obtain a good overview of potential careers in your organization, or have a chance to experience some of the basic fundamental responsibilities in this organization?"

Each industry has its own nuances that demand a unique set of queries, so Gardner advises students to talk to their college's career services center to learn what they should be asking when meeting with potential employers. Plus, showing hiring managers that you've done some homework and are eager to learn about their field can only help your chances, especially at this late date.

2. Know where to look

It's not enough to use the basic set of job search sites, like CareerSearch and O*Net, when hunting for an internship. Many industries also have their own niche job boards where positions that don't appear elsewhere are posted. Check with your college's career office, which often has knowledge of industry-specific job listings and connections with a variety of employers. He also recommends talking with professors, who might have tips on internships in their areas of expertise.

3. Give your resume a quick makeover

Hiring managers depend on your resume and cover letter when deciding who to interview for open positions, so it's important to make sure yours is as perfect as it can be before you start sending out queries. Since time is of the essence, the fastest way to get your resume into shape is to solicit professional help.

Gardner recommends making an immediate appointment with one of your school's career counselors. They're a one-stop-shop for general advice—like what fonts to use, how much space each item deserves—and industry specific guidance, such as which achievements to highlight and which to leave out.

4. Become an interview expert

While a writing a good resume is essential, it's difficult for any undergraduate to get a job based on solely on their past accomplishments. Students in their late teens or early 20s understandably tend to lack extensive work histories, meaning employers are usually going to value attitude and temperament over experience.

"Young people are going to be hired more often on personality traits than on knowledge or skills," says Carol Christen, co-author of What Color Is Your Parachute? For Teens, a career guide for young people. "Are you willing to show up on time? Are you willing to ask questions?"

According to Christen, interviews are the primary way to show employers you have the right personality for the position. Moreover, she says, it can take as many as nine interviews for students to get comfortable, making practice essential.

How does one get interview practice before actually interviewing for a job? Mock interviews with college career counselors are one option, but a more time-efficient idea, championed by Christen, is to ask people already employed in your field for an informational interview.

Reach out to people and request a brief chat about their day-to-day responsibilities, how they got their job, and other inside knowledge. These discussions won't give you experience talking about your own accomplishments, but Christen says they should help build confidence, develop connections, and teach students how to hold a conversation entirely around work.

5. Design your own internship

If your applications go unanswered, don't give up. Look into volunteering at a nonprofit organization or political campaign in an area that will give you some exposure to career skills. Another option is to design an independent project that could be useful to a business or nonprofit—such as doing market research or looking into various fundraising options—and then ask if anyone on staff will "sponsor" the program by acting as a supervisor or mentor.

6. Next time, get started sooner

It's possible to get a summer job if you start searching in May, but waiting this long is far from ideal. In the future, Gardner recommends, start looking for an internship as soon as you get back from summer break. He says underclassmen should start particularly early since recruiters tend to hit campuses in the fall and early winter. Getting a head start on the process not only means a higher chance of landing an internship, it also means you'll have more options to pick from when deciding which position fits you best.