Make the Most of Your Internship-less Summer

Summer used to be synonymous with lazy days by the pool, barbecues and copious amounts of Philadelphia water ice. But for college students, summer takes on a whole new meaning: internship season.   However, not everyone can land their dream internship this summer.  The sting of what feels like a missed opportunity can be discouraging.  But with the right amount of resourcefulness, this summer can be a jumping off point to fill your weeks with relevant, resume-building and gratifying experiences.  

Network, network, network:  Networking is invaluable and can be your key to ensuring internship positions down the road.  Social media, particularly sites like LinkedIn, allow you to network with professionals from your hometown this summer.  Reach out and connect with professionals on all social media platforms while pushing out content that showcases your involvement in the online PR community.

Blog: An internship-less summer means free time to expand your writing portfolio.  In this digital age, one of the best ways to do that is to begin a blog.  Blogging is a great way to showcase your creativity, fine-tune your writing skills and connect with other bloggers with similar interests.  Unsure of where to start when creating your blog? Check out this recent PRowl post: “Blog Branding”

Volunteer: Summer is a busy time for most companies and organizations.  With an event-laden schedule, this is a great opportunity to make yourself available as a resource.  Volunteer with a local organizations to assist with social media, marketing, special events, creating promotional materials or whatever piques your interest.  

Enjoy the break: While it’s important to stay goal-oriented throughout the year, summer break is meant to be exactly what it sounds like: a break! After your hard work in the classroom or in your internships throughout the year, take advantage of this refreshing free time.   By taking it easy this summer, you’ll come back to school recharged and ready to perform at your very best throughout the following year.  

So when faced with the prospect of an internship-less summer, get creative with ideas that will make you just as marketable in the future.  Let us know how you plan to spend the dog days of summer!

This guest blog post was written by PRowl Staff Member Cara Graeff.