The birds are chirping, the sun is shining, and Stevens students are starting to touch grass. That can only mean one thing: summer is coming. While many people are excited for summer, this long three-month vacation can also be incredibly important in terms of career development. So, what do you do if you don’t have a summer internship? As someone who goes insane without something to keep them occupied, I used to struggle with this, but fret not, as I have created a list of things you can do if you do not have a summer internship.
1. Focus on personal development
One of the most overlooked and, in my opinion, the most important qualities in any working candidate is their self-awareness and personality. No company expects an intern or first-year employee to have the same depth of knowledge as a seasoned professional. Instead, they would look at your willingness to grow and learn. Reflect on what you would like to accomplish in your college career and what skills or value it would take in order for you to get there. Then, act on it. Summer gives plenty of time for personal growth, so utilize that time to build a strong basis of values. Your values are similar to a cheat sheet for life. It gives you a proper guideline for any decision you may make. For instance, if you would like to see growth and variety in life but are currently stuck in a comfort zone, then you may want to work on doing activities that force you to go out and explore opportunities. Realizing that starts with reflection and self-awareness. These practices also help a lot with behavioral questions. Those TED Talks don’t have millions of views for no reason.
2. Work local
As any business student will tell you, LinkedIn is like your toxic best friend that you weirdly cannot let go of. It will motivate you while also simultaneously making you feel insecure. It is hard to get into firms that receive thousands of applications every year, but it may be easier to secure an internship at a startup company. Be mindful that they may not pay you money, but the amount of experience you receive will allow you to understand your field and industry really well. Opportunities like these can be found on job platforms such as LinkedIn. You can also take a job at your local Starbucks or Target, which will give you a way to earn some side income.
3. Work on small projects and endeavors
What is something productive that brings you joy in life? Dive into them. The biggest skill I have observed that sets people apart is their ability to be curious. The topics that you are naturally curious about will be the path you will gravitate toward. Take the time over the summer to acknowledge what those are and explore projects through them. For example, I enjoy writing and finance. So, I started my own newsletter that allowed me to understand the finance world a little better while also sharing my learnings with others.
4. Read
Reading is not just something that you did in high school because your teacher forced you to. It should be more than that. The smartest people in the world are those who take the time and put in the effort to read beyond what is taught in class. There is an incredible amount of information out there that anyone can learn from and utilize in their own growth. Take your car and romanticize your life by heading to your local library. If you can spend your money to buy Starbucks or shop on SHEIN, then you can spend your money on a library card. As a Stevens student, you can get a Hoboken Public Library card for free! That one card can bring you loads of knowledge. Invest in that and make some time to learn about the upcoming recruitment cycle so that you will be prepared for the next time an internship opportunity comes around.
A summer without an internship provides for the creative liberty of doing whatever you want. This is also the time to practice two key skills: execution and focus. Without these two skills, the ideas mentioned above will not result in any fruitful projects that may be added to your portfolio or resume. Also, take the time to be easy on yourself. Finding internships is not easy, but it is easy to fall into toxic comparisons. It takes time to realize that everything works out in the end. You may not have an internship this summer, but with enough work and genuine curiosity for your field, you may land an amazing internship next year. Don’t give up, and don’t forget to enjoy life a little. There is more to life than being a corporate baddie.
