Finding a Last Minute Summer Internship

No set plans for the summer yet? Tired of listening to your friends talk excitedly about their upcoming internships? Don’t worry, it’s still not too late to secure a summer internship!

• Browse through the internship postings on Chicago Career Connections – While most Metcalf positions have already filled, there are still many employers accepting summer internship applications. Check Chicago Career Connections frequently because new postings appear every day. 
• Follow employers on Linkedin/Facebook/Twitter – Due to various unexpected issues such as relocation problems, family emergencies, or getting a more suitable position, interns sometimes commit to another company even after accepting an offer. By following companies of interest on their social media websites, you can be the first to know if a previously filled position opens up. Since employers are in a rush to make those last-minute hiring decisions for the summer, being amongst the first to know and apply will give you an edge over other applicants
•  Design your own internship – If your dream is to intern at a local business or start-up that isn’t offering internships, approach them and propose your own internship! Reach out to the hiring manager (or the owner/CEO if it’s a very small organization) there and set up a meeting. Come to the meeting prepared with exactly why you want to intern there and what you can do to add value. Be sure to do your research ahead of time and come to the meeting knowing exactly what projects you can take on to help the company grow and succeed. 
• Consider unpaid internships – Have you only been exploring paid internships? Everyone wants to earn money for their hard work, but unpaid internships can offer experiences that are just as meaningful as paid internships. Many employers outside of the finance/banking/consulting industry start their hiring later on, so check out unpaid internships in non-profits, government, arts, journalism, fashion, etc. Idealist.org is a great place to start exploring! 
• Utilize your personal networks – Your parents, aunts, and uncles are all adults with many years of job experience and they have friends who also have plenty of experience. Let the adults in your life know that you’re hardworking and you’re looking for a summer internship. Many of them may have high positions within their companies and if they like you and think you’re capable of the job, they might even be able to create positions suited just for you.
• If all else fails…Study for a standardized test! Whether it’s the MCAT, GMAT, LSAT, or GRE, summer is the perfect time to prepare for the big exam. During the school year, you’re too overwhelmed with school work to make extra study time. If you’re interning, you’re too busy with work to study. So if you don’t end up with an internship this summer, don’t let that time go to waste. Study for whichever test you’re planning on taking and schedule to take the exam before school starts, when you have plenty of time and everything you’ve learned is still fresh in your mind.

“How I survived On-Campus Recruiting with Career Advancement’s Help” –by Elaine Gu

As a senior at the University of Chicago, I recently survived the fall on-campus recruiting season. Seven very stressful weeks, 14 first-round interviews, and four final-rounds later, I am overjoyed to have gotten an offer to be a consultant (my dream profession) in New York City starting next September.

Reflecting upon my recruiting experience, I have some tips for those of you who will be going through the same thing in the future. It’s an extremely hectic process, but it’s all worth it in the end.

1. Network – while it’s nice to believe that things in life are based on merit, that’s unfortunately not how recruiting works. You might have an almost perfect GPA and a stellar extra-curricular track, but if you don’t network, you could lose an interview/position to someone with much less impressive accomplishments but engaged in extensive networking.  Unless you come from a very well-connected family or you have some powerful friends, the employer information sessions at Career Advancement are your best source for networking your way to that initial interview. 
2. Work those information sessions – don’t get distracted by the tempting food that employers bring, you’re there on a mission. Try to talk to a variety of people, from the big shots to the recent graduates to the recruiters (depending on the firm, each of these types of people has varying power in deciding who to interview). Be aggressive but not overly dominating. Don’t ask dumb questions (yes, those do exist) and introduce yourself before you speak so that people can remember you. Also, ask for business cards so you can follow up afterwards.