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Internships, internships, internships. These are the three words you can’t stop hearing all of the time these days. But, what if you aren’t ready for a formal 10-week long internship just yet? What is there to do? Don’t fret just yet, there are so many other great options that will not only fill your resume with added content, but also be just as beneficial to your road to success. Here are some suggestions to get you started on making your summer worth it.
1.Take summer courses
While this might take a chunk of your money, it is always nice to get some classes out of the way during the summer. If you don’t live close to Bentley, or are just too lazy to make the drive up, then consider taking a course in your local community college or a course online at another university. This is a great way to get ahead on general education requirements to try out a major course to see if that is really where your passion lies.
- Start a blog or website or small business
College is usually where you discover your true interests and hobbies. So, if you have extra time during the summer you should consider turning these interests and hobbies into a small part time business. Blogs have skyrocketed within the past few years and now you can find one on nearly anything. If you know your niche and target audience, you can share it on your own blog and maybe even make some quick money out of it too!
- Write about your expertise
If you are a strong writer but don’t want to commit to starting your own blog, you can write about your expertise for others! Whether it is freelancing for a few niche blogs, partnering with your local newspaper, writing articles for HerCampus or submitting a “letter to the editor” for New York Times or Huffington Post, you have a lot of freedom on what you want to write about and who you want to write it for.
- Get a remote, flexible internship
Not all internships are in an office 40 hours a week. Search around and you will be able to find some that are part time and even remote. There are so many online sources to find these jobs such as www.monster.com and www.indeed.com! This flexibility will allow you to gain the experience and knowledge without having to dedicate so much time to a cubicle. Plus, having this work on your resume is always an added bonus.
- Shadow local professionals
Despite what major you are there are so many type of jobs in each field. Start your networking through reaching out to Bentley alumni or your LinkedIn connections to find local professionals in companies that interest you. Spend a day or two getting to understand their job role and the company culture to see if it’s a right fit for you. Not only will you create a wide range of connections, you will more than likely have a better idea of a future internship you might want.
- Tutor your subject to others
This is a great way to get some quick cash. Depending on your subject, tutors can get paid very well per the hour. Reach out to local schools or online networking sites to land some local gigs. This will give you lots of flexibility in your hours and will still allow you to get some cash throughout the summer.
- Educate yourself
Time spent educating yourself is time well spent. Check to see if there are any local workshops or conferences you can attend to brush up on some skills or learn some new ones. You may want to consider getting some certifications over the summer as well! However, if you are on the go the whole summer, grab a few informative books from your public library.
