Students blog

“What are your plans for summer break?”

If you are a college student, this question is likely one that you encounter quite often. With the spring semester well underway, having a plan for your summer break is especially pertinent. Although taking a break from your studies, visiting friends, and vacationing are important aspects of summer break, the summer break plan that I am referring to is that of an opportunity for valuable undergraduate experience through an internship. 

The months of summer break provide a unique opportunity for undergraduate students to gain valuable experience in their chosen field of study. However, knowing exactly how to locate and secure such experience can be a challenging task. As a student who recently secured an internship with the University of Pittsburgh’s Graduate School of Public Health, I wanted to take this opportunity to share what I learned throughout the process of finding summer undergraduate experience with other students. 

Reach out to your university’s Career Services!

One of the first things that I would recommend to any student who is looking for a summer internship is to visit their school’s career center. Career services on college campuses are specialized in connecting students with opportunities specifically intended for undergraduate students. Check out your university’s career service website, subscribe to their email list, or schedule an appointment with a career center advisor to explore what options are available to you. 

Create a LinkedIn profile

Alongside exploring your university’s career services, creating a LinkedIn profile is a great way for students to connect with organizations and companies that are searching for interns. Ensure that you have a professional headshot and bio, upload an updated resume, and link related projects that highlight your skills to your profile. In addition, be sure to connect with past employers, coworkers, and other respected professionals that you know and that are in your field of study. You can even specify in your LinkedIn settings that you are currently looking for an internship opportunity in order to increase the chances of your profile being located by potential employers. 

Don’t limit your options 

Perhaps the most valuable piece of advice that I have for students who are searching for a summer internship is to not limit what options are available to you. What I mean by this is to be open to new places, new people, and new experiences throughout your search, application, and interview processes. There are countless opportunities available for undergraduate students during the summer months. Whether that be in the form of a paid or unpaid internship, research experience, shadowing, or working in a particular field of interest-you just have to be open to the opportunities that come your way. Being able to gain any form of experience is better than no experience at all, and exploring new aspects of your chosen field of study could help you find new passions and forge new connections with employers and professionals. 

Whether you are a first-year or a third-year student, no time is better than now for you to look into what opportunities are available to you for gaining experience in your field of study. Start your search as early as possible by going to your school’s career center, creating a professional LinkedIn profile, and keeping your options open. This will set you on the path to securing a summer internship and to gaining valuable hands-on experience! 

Finding time for an internship or job can seem impossible while trying to get used to a new course load of challenging classes. Whether you need a somewhat steady income to pay your bills or just some extra cash for going out on the weekends, most college students find themselves searching for a job at some point throughout their four years at school. Plus, fall and spring term internships are just as plentiful as summer internships now. Although it may seem like you could never find the time to balance these opportunities with your class schedule, employers can be understanding and will often put your academics first. It’s all about finding the right fit for you. 

Just the thought of having to find a job is daunting to many students. Thankfully, most universities have a career center that is there to help you find job and internship listings. They can direct you to on-campus positions that fit with your class schedule. Some on-campus jobs even pay for your meal plan or housing on top of your salary. On-campus jobs are a great way to make some money and build your resume while still staying in touch with your academics as they are not allowed to schedule you to work during your classes. 

Internships can be more tricky to balance with classes as they can often take up more time than an average part-time job. Getting creative with your schedule can help. You could try to schedule all of your classes in the mornings or only on certain days of the week so that you can better fit those internship hours into your schedule. Another option is to consider taking a class or two online. Often times online classes are not as intense as in person ones and allow you some flexibility on when you complete assignments. Now that you have a few extra hours where you do not have to be on campus for class, you can put those hours into your internship.

It is all about finding what works best for you. Being honest and upfront with your employer about how you are doing in school is also important. They will most often prefer that you do well in your classes than overwhelm yourself at work. If you find yourself falling behind in school, speak with your boss and maybe ask if you can take an afternoon off to study for that exam you have coming up. They can be more understanding than you think. 

At the end of the day, balancing your academics with work or an internship is all about time management. You have to find what works best for your schedule and never forget that your studies should always come first. 

Taking classes and working an internship all while being abroad with friends? Yes, please!

Summer break offers many different opportunities for students. They can take classes, work an internship, travel, all while still wanting to have time to socialize with friends. I struggled trying to decide which option was right for me. However, after doing research about different programs offered at my school, I found an option that allowed me to experience all four at once. 

This past summer, I participated in Georgia Tech’s Leadership for Social Good study abroad. Through this program, I took 9 credit hours that apply to my minor and got a deeper insight to the nonprofit world. I worked an internship with a Hungarian social enterprise, AndiJoga, where I was able to apply the lessons I learned in class directly to an organization. Over the six weeks I was abroad, I was also able to visit six different countries, make 19 new friends, and create countless memories. 

I’ve always been one to walk before I ran and put myself into a box before the rest of the world could do it for me, so when I decided to take a summer internship four hours from my friends and family – in a city I barely knew – it came as a shock.  The 12-week program was with a company that I had never heard of until the career fair and wasn’t exactly what I had considered doing long-term, however, this summer has been one incredible journey and I am so thankful for it.

I work for a comfy-chic software company that believes in open collaboration and equal parts work and play.  There are no cubicles or closed doors, and everyone has a chance to join in the Smash Brothers tournament at the end of the day.  I learned how to win at ping pong and finally got good enough at cornhole to call myself a Midwesterner, but I also found a space where I could freely ask questions and never had to doubt my ability. 

I was just an intern, but I had the same desk as a full-time engineer and sat in on the same meetings they were attending.  This summer helped me regain confidence in myself that I had lost through the semesters of feeling excluded in the classroom or feeling afraid to ask questions because I was already fighting an uphill battle to fit in.  A fun company is excellent, but a supportive one makes all the difference.

My decision to pursue a job outside of my predetermined search radius was a bold one that hit me before I had an opportunity to consider the risk.  It meant leaving my friends for the first time and learning how to make new ones. Throughout my three months, I discovered that I love to paint my nails and that metal may have a place in my music library.  I learned that regardless of how similar our lives are now, people have amazing experiences to share and different stories to tell.  My coworkers came from different states, ages, and races, but at the end of the day, we were all college kids taking a chance on our future together.  

I learned how to stop caring long enough to enjoy a night out or sleep in on a Saturday.  I put away my to-do lists and binge-watched a TV series for the first time in years. I’ve spent so much time trying to juggle the things I love and the things I do and the people I surround myself with that I forgot to include myself.  By finally stepping out of my self-created box, I discovered a balance between the life I normally led and the new things I had found.  The world suddenly wasn’t as black and white as I had led myself to believe and those boxes we put ourselves in are not always accurate.

This summer, I decided to challenge myself and step entirely out of my comfort zone for 12 weeks.  There were days that I felt on top of the world and days that I cried watching my boyfriend’s car leave after a weekend visit.  I pushed myself and found a happiness that I have never felt before with a group of people I would never have had the pleasure to meet.  So the next time an opportunity comes at you, take it and run.  There are days to calculate your moves, and there are days to celebrate your ability to move.  This leap of faith was one worth taking.

Interning has been one of the most valuable experiences I have gained during college. I was even fortunate enough to get an internship abroad. No matter what your ideal internship setting is, the most essential steps in seeking an internship include: searching, preparing, performing, and following-up. Navigate your internship from start to finish by adhering to these steps.

Searching for internship opportunities

You may feel a bit overwhelmed when you first begin the search for an internship and that is totally normal! I remember calling my mom in a frenzy, completely convinced that I was behind everyone else in my internship experience. She reminded me that everyone is on their own path, and the search for a job is not as important as the search for experience. 

Before beginning your search for the “perfect” internship, it is important to define what “perfect” is to you. Brainstorm what you would like to gain from this experience, and what skills you will bring to the table. 

Next, examine your personal network. Think of anyone in your life who could give insight into the field you’re interested in or could point you in the right direction for a valuable experience. As they say, “It’s about who you know.” If you do not have connections with anyone in the field you’re interested in, don’t freak out. Websites such as WayUp, Indeed, Glassdoor, and LinkedIn are valuable resources to utilize in your search for an internship – just make sure you’re continuously checking and updating your accounts! 

When you get an interview, think back to what you’d like to gain and what skills you could bring to the internship. Understanding your own motivations will help you articulate your goals to a potential employer. For more information about interviewing skills, check out this link.

Preparing for your internship role

Once you’ve secured a position with a company, revisit your thoughts on what you wanted to gain from an internship experience. Sharpening your focus before you arrive on your first day will prepare you to answer the common questions of “Why are you here?” and “What do you want to gain out of this?” that many of your curious co-workers and superiors may ask. I was very surprised that people were so interested in why I wanted to be there and was relieved that I had reflected deeply on this question before showing up on the first day!

Following the news and tracking the stock of the company that you will be working for is an effective way to learn the current trends and developments of the company. The more you know, the better you will be able to articulate your questions and ideas. The News App, Google Alerts, and Yahoo! Finance are among reliable and useful sources to gather information beforehand. 

Performing on the job

Whew! You made it. You’re finally starting the first day of your internship after searching, waiting, interviewing, waiting some more, and preparing. But wait – you still have to actually work. Searching for and preparing for this day was only half the battle. Now it’s time to show what you’re made of!

Every task in a company is important. No matter what position you have or tasks you are asked to do, it is important to utilize the word “yes.” Take every opportunity you can to complete every task, even if it doesn’t fall within your job description. Who knows? You may find joy in something you would have never thought that you’d like. Any opportunity is a good opportunity to learn and grow as a person, and making yourself available to different teams shows your enthusiasm and openness to work.

Weekly or bi-weekly meetings with your immediate supervisor are an important way to receive feedback, clarify and adapt your goals, and voice your thoughts.

Following up after your internship

As your internship comes to an end, it is important to show your gratitude and express what you learned while working at the company during an exit meeting. If no meeting is scheduled, ask your supervisor to meet with you to give you constructive criticism and feedback, and recap your experience working for them.

If you haven’t already, request to connect on LinkedIn with those co-workers you think would be valuable to have in your network. Include a short message telling them what you enjoyed about working with them, and let them know that you’re excited to connect with them.

Lastly, handwritten thank-you notes are a personal and thoughtful gesture to further express your appreciation for those you’ve worked closely with. In these notes, you should include what you took away from the experience, bringing up specific and personal examples from your time with the recipient. Close with a statement of salutations and action such as “Thank you for your time and effort to mentor me, and I look forward to connecting with you again in the future.”

During my own internship experience abroad I learned about not only a business, but also about the role that their culture had on their work. Whether you have an internship in America or internationally, I challenge you jump in wholeheartedly and have the best time doing so! 

This past summer, I had the opportunity to intern abroad in Krakow, Poland. Now, I know what you’re thinking- why in the world would I travel thousands of miles for a summer internship? I decided to push myself out of my comfort zone by challenging myself to gain a more global view of business. My corporate experience had strictly been based in America before I had the opportunity to go abroad. Working with skilled professionals at the IBM Client Innovation Center in Poland gave me a chance to appreciate the importance of cultural understanding and diversity.

My Experience

As a leadership development intern at IBM, I was quickly immersed in the culture of the company. I participated in client visits, boot camps, seminars, and discussions of a variety of topics with IBM’s specialists. One of the most enlightening aspects of working for IBM was meeting for lunch with “IBMers” from functional divisions of the company. Not only did I hear firsthand about the role that their culture and background had on their work, but also how they each managed their work-life balance. 

In Poland, I noticed that people are much more practical and straightforward than those I have worked for in the United States, where we often have bells and whistles that are not necessary to complete tasks. I noticed these cultural differences in the workplace and also in my homestay.