One thing you will hear all of your professors, mentors, classmates, even parents rave about during summer: INTERNSHIPS.
Internships this, internships that. Now that you're in college, your summer pretty much has to be spent at an internship. Whether it's going on coffee runs every hour or managing a company's Twitter account, this experience is supposed to put you ahead of all your competitors.
Some schools at IU have special programs where you can get a summer internship through alumni. If you aren't in one of those schools or aren't fortunate enough to be selected for that, you'll have to look elsewhere.
I interned for a start-up apparel company based in Norfolk, VA this summer. Where did I find this internship? None other than CraigsList. I know searching for an important career opportunity on CraigsList may be the last resort for many people, but it sometimes pays off. CraigsList is, where I've found, where many smaller, local companies put their "Interns Wanted" ads. Because these companies are smaller, you have a better chance of getting the job.
I saw an abundance of PR/marketing firms that needed summer interns, many of which were willing to pay (like my internship). These internships ranged from sports marketing to jewelry to event planning. Virtually every interest needed a summer intern, any many (if not all) were only part-time, so you still get some of your summer to relax.
Though these companies may not seem as "important" as the much larger, well-known companies, there are enough of them that may allow you to have different, unique internships for all 3 summers before you graduate.
Honestly, what's going to look better? 3 different internships at 3 different companies in 3 different fields, or 1 internship at a "kind of" well-known company?
With these smaller companies, not only do you get a personalized internship, but you also get to help a company grow. Many times, it's from the ground up.
If anything, make sure to take these tips from this blog post:- Don't be afraid to look for internships in "unorthodox" ways, such as CraigsList or the classified ads.
- Look for as many internships as you can; no internship is too small.
- Make your internship area on your resume diverse; be sure to keep in your focus area, but branch out a little bit. Ex: If you're a PR person like me, do one internship about fashion PR, one about education PR, and one about health care PR.
There are many more internship options than you think there are. All you have to do is look for them.
Here are some other great articles that will help you find the internship that is right for you.