Summer internships are all about making connections and getting valuable experience. Unfortunately, many college students are simply not in a financial position to work all summer without a paycheck. In this case, they will need to find an internship that is going to pay them. Although they are more difficult to come by than unpaid opportunities, they are out there and there are a few places that students can go to find them.
Before a student even starts looking for an internship, the most important thing they can do is make themselves as marketable as possible. This means that they need to get excellent grades during the school year and get involved with campus activities that are related to their field. If they expect to be paid for their efforts over the summer, they need to be able to prove to a company that they are worth the money.
A great place to start looking for an internship is with the career services office at whatever college or university the student attends. They will have a great deal of information on a variety of internship programs and they should know which ones are paid and which are not. When speaking with the career counselor, the student should be very clear about the fact that they are only interested in applying for paid positions.
Another good place to check out for a paid internship is a local job fair. This is a great way to get an idea of what companies are out there in a particular field. If a student sees a company that interests them, they should not be shy about asking the representative present if they offer any paid internships. When attending this type of event, it is a good idea for the student to have copies of their resume on hand in case a company wants them to submit an application on the spot.
Some students may be lucky enough to have a summer job in their desired field. For example, a student studying to be a teacher may have a job tutoring over the summer. If this is the case, they should simply ask their academic advisor if they could get credit for doing their job. They very well may say yes and then the student will have to search no further for their paid internship.
Paid summer internships are not always easy to come by, but there a student who is focused and specific in their search should be able to find one. It is a good idea to speak with a career counselor or attend a job fair for ideas. Students should also remember that, if they expect to be paid for their time, they should make themselves excellent candidates by performing well in school.