Didn’t Get an Internship? Here Are 10 Things You Can Do to Boost Your Career Anyway

So you didn’t get a summer internship. Don’t blame yourself: There were fewer internship opportunities posted in the first months of 2021 compared to previous years, and it’s a common challenge any year. It’s not a direct measure of how hard you tried or how useful your talents might be to an organization. But what do you do?

There might be companies looking to fill last-minute internships, including through your school’s job fairs, job boards, and other career center resources. “Certain fields or smaller organizations that engage in ’just-in-time’ hiring may still be seeking interns,” says Maureen Baska, career counselor and assistant director at the Meruelo Family Center for Career Development at the University of Notre Dame. “If a student is very proactive with researching organizations, it’s possible something will materialize.” (If you’re still hoping to find an internship, you can find openings and apply right here on The Muse!)

That said, most organizations that list and hire summer interns will be starting their programs by the end of May or early June. And there are always students who haven’t secured a formal internship by then. Particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, when you might’ve been dealing with remote learning and the stresses of a global health crisis, it’s not uncommon if you simply “haven’t had the time, ability, or mental energy in this last year to even delve into anything outside of [your] coursework,” says Nathan Slusher, the director of career education and outreach at the American University Career Center.

But there are plenty of other options if you’re hoping to take advantage of the summer months. The key is to do something: “By doing nothing, you’re missing out on huge opportunities,” Slusher says. Here are 10 internship alternatives you can pursue this summer (or, really, any time of year)—many of which can be accomplished in a few hours a week but have important benefits for your future job search.