It's Never Too Early to Start Researching and Applying for Internship Opportunities
With college football season underway, the thought of researching and applying for internships for summer 2025 might be the furthest thing from your mind. Internships, externships and summer work experiences have become increasingly competitive as college students strive to shore up their resumes before graduation.
The landscape is so competitive that large companies have already started posting internship applications and recruiting for next summer, so it's never too early to start researching and applying for internship opportunities.
1) Start your search a minimum of six months from your target start date. If your college term ends in May, and you’d like to start working in June, kick off your internship search in January of that year.
Add your availability in the objective section of your resume such as: Accounting major seeks summer internship with CPA firm - available from June 1 - August 30, 2025.
2) Contact your local Vocational Rehabilitation department office to inquire about paid summer work opportunities and find out if you qualify for VR Services. You can find the contact information for a VR office near you at this link https://rsa.ed.gov/about/stateshttps://rsa.ed.gov/about/states.
If you’re a student at a public community college, find out if there is an Inclusive Career Advancement Program (ICAP) available at your school. ICAP helps people with disabilities get the training they need to find a pathway to a career, not just a job. Your local ICAP representative maintains relationships with local employers and may have some leads on internship opportunities.
3) Make an appointment with your school’s career center. Talk to a counselor or job coach about your goals for a summer internship, and find out if companies are recruiting through the career center.
4) Determine the type of internship you’d like to have, and how much you are willing to compromise to get the experience. For example, if your dream company doesn’t offer paid internships, can you spend 20 hours per week interning without pay and pick up another part-time job to earn money for next school year?
5) In what field do you want to gain exposure and work experience?
There are many ways to gain experience in your target profession. If you are an accounting major, you can reach out to Certified Public Accounting (CPA) firms near where you live, as well as to the accounting departments of local companies.
If you are an aspiring doctor and plan to apply to medical school, the best route will be to contact the volunteer department of local hospitals or clinics.
6) Identify companies where you’d like to intern. Do you return to your hometown for the summer? Are you willing to travel to another city and find housing to intern with your dream company? Decide how far you’re willing to go,
If you’re not familiar with the local business landscape, visit your city’s Chamber of Commerce website for a list of their member organizations. Chamber membership directories are often categorized by business type, so you’ll be able to find companies that fit your work experience needs.
7) Update your Resume and Create a Cover Letter specifically for internship applications. At the top of your resume, under your name and contact information, add a headline stating, “Accounting major seeks summer internship with CPA firm - available from June 1 - August 30, 2025.” Include the URL to your professional LinkedIn profile on your resume.
8) Search www.workability.one and your target companies’ websites for internship opportunities. If you don’t see any internships posted, find the email address for the Human Resources department and send a message asking when applications will be available. Some companies have a general job application they use to collect resumes from prospective applicants. Attach a copy of your resume and ask if they will keep your information on file.
9) Attend job fairs and leave an internship-specific resume with company representatives.
10) Volunteering is a viable alternative to an internship. If you haven’t secured an internship four months before your target start date, you should start submitting volunteer applications with local non-profit associations.
If you volunteer with a healthcare organization, they may require you to complete a criminal background check and drug screen before you can start. Be sure to follow directions and complete these as soon as possible.
11) Return Voicemail and Email Messages as quickly as possible, preferably within 24 hours. Activate the auto reply feature on your email with a note that says, “Thank you for your email message. I’ll get back to you within 24 hours.”
12) Send thank you emails – or better yet, mail handwritten notes – to anyone who has helped you in your search, especially if they work at one of the companies where you hope to intern or volunteer. Writing a thank you note is not like writing a text – it requires complete sentences, capitalization and punctuation.
Very few people send thank you messages or notes of appreciation. Doing so will help you stand out from the crowd and leave a positive first impression.
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We hope you’ll find these suggestions helpful. You’ll find more tips and recommendations on how to improve your job search strategies at https://www.workability.one/resources and https://www.workability.one/work-resources.