Maybe you missed the job fair because you were sick or your boss had other plans for you. Or maybe you went but there were more internship seekers than internships available. Sometimes the best laid plans of mice and men and engineering students go awry.
First, don’t worry. It’s not the end of the world. If you’re willing to hustle, there are lots of ways to make good use of your summer. You just have to get started.
Keep Looking for an Internship
Just because you haven’t gotten one yet doesn’t mean you won’t find an internship. There will be companies that didn’t find the right intern yet. Some companies won’t have attended the job fair. For a lot of small companies, attending a job fair can be a costly endeavor.
Expand your search beyond the companies that attended the job fair. Look for smaller companies in the city where you attend college or in your hometown. Dig into your network (you’ve been building it, right?) and find leads for an internship.
Volunteer for a Nonprofit
Volunteer work always looks good on a resume, especially if you can tie it into your degree or a skill that would be good for you to develop (see Buff Up Your Skills below.) Every city will have a variety of non-profits and they’re nearly all looking for help. Just Google [your city name] nonprofits and you’re likely to get a long list.
First, look for nonprofits that could use your specific skills. A food bank that has its own farm could use a civil engineer to work on water flow or a mechanical engineer to maintain equipment. The work might not use every skill you have, but any degree-based skill used is a skill that gets developed and highlighted on your resume.
Outside of your specific degree, what skills could you use in the workplace which could be refined while working for a nonprofit? You could write a computer program to automate tasks for the staff, put together a Wordpress website (I’ve seen a lot of nonprofits with poor websites,) or speak on behalf of the organization. All of those skills will be useful later in your career.
And, finally, if none of that works out, just volunteer in whatever capacity they need. That always looks good on a resume. After a summer of volunteering, think about what you learned while you were caring for animals at the animal shelter, painting homes at Habitat for Humanity, or filing papers for a foundation. During an interview, you’re going to get asked about your work for the nonprofit. Be ready with some great lessons learned. Those will impress recruiters.
Buff Up Your Skills
Set yourself apart from the crowd by working on skills you need to improve.
- Take an extra class in summer school – You can pick up an elective that you always wanted to take but never had the time. That might be the extra skill that some recruiter is seeking. Or get a core class out of the way so you have extra time for a harder project class in the fall.
- Learn to write computer code – There will always be a tedious task that needs automated. Learning to write a little code can save you time and well as help you develop a useful skill. Watching videos at YouTube.com or taking a free class at Code Academy can put a lot of power in your hands.
- Become a better speaker – Engineers are not generally known for strong speaking or writing skills. They’re known for their STEM skills. Improving in this area will help you stand out in the crowd. Join Toastmasters, volunteer for United Way as a speaker, or spend the summer giving tours of your campus.
- Take a writing class – Inexpensive classes at a local junior college, through a community center, or even on Udemy.com will be a feather in your cap and improve your resume, cover letter, and email communication with recruiters.
- Do an unassigned project – Recruiters always ask engineers about projects. Make sure you have a compelling one to discuss. Even if it’s just a project you do on your own for no other purpose than to learn. Document it and be ready to discuss it.
Not only will these shine on your resume, some of those skills will immediately set you apart during your interactions with recruiters. Writing and speaking skills are particularly noticeable and in high demand.
Final Takeaway
Summer will be gone before you know it. If you plan to “figure out what you want to do” once summer starts, you’ll find that it’s over about the time you have a plan. If you didn’t get an internship for the summer, make a plan to use that time to make yourself a stronger candidate for an internship or job. The next time interviews come around, you’ll be glad you did.