Tips for Finding a Summer Internship/Relevant Job to Your Future Career

As many of us know, managing time for class requirements and professional development can be difficult to organize.  With summer just around the corner, here are some tips to help you transition nicely into a summer internship or job.

Start Early:  Ideally, six months from the time you want to begin working is how soon you should begin your search.  It gives you time for resume and cover letter reviews, mock interviews, but also it allows you to pace yourself in the research process.   It’s important to note that our current struggle with the pandemic has created a lot of high-demand jobs in fields such as teachers, drivers, EMTs, and food services.  Some fields are hiring in a matter of days with a starting wage of over 18 dollars an hour, so the timing (and commitment) of your search can fluxgate depending on the industry. 

Use Multiple Job Boards:

Handshake has various opportunities and is a network that’s shared among all of the host universities in the country, but that’s one job board among many.  Aside from Indeed, think about other sites where employers are promoting their positions. Dice.com is great for tech positions, teacher.org helps to explore careers in education (and what it takes to get licensed in each state) and AWC JobNet for public service opportunities.  CampusPoint and Ziprecruiter are great for recent graduates and internships.

Let the Business Associations Guide You

Whether you are planning to return to your hometown or a different state entirely, seek out the local chambers and business association.  They often have company directories that provide an overview of the companies in your area.  From there, you can create a spreadsheet of relevant companies and follow up.  For the Inland Northwest, Greater Spokane Incorporated is a great resource, as well as the West Plains Chamber of Commerce.  Even the Far West Agribusiness Association is a good place to look.

Attend Career Fairs and Community events:  The percentage of jobs found online has increased from 30 to 45 percent, but that still leaves over 50 percent of jobs that are never posted.  Networking is still a major factor in the job search, and a hybrid model of providing both virtual and in-person events has become more common.

The FUSE Career Fair is April 6th from 2pm-6pm, and is the largest university-led career fair in the state. Even if an internship or job isn’t on your list of priorities, engaging with professionals is essential for planning your career goals.  The business associations are always hosting events, be also think about other 

If you need help or training on how to navigate this process, the EWU Career Center can help.

Romeal Watson is the Internship Coordinator for the Career Center and has been active in that role for 12 years.  He’s also an EWU Alum.