No Internship? Here Are 9 Ways to Get Work Experience This Summer

Internships are on the rise. According to a recent survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers, employers expect to boost their intern hiring by 22.6% for the 2021-22 academic year. But there’s no need to stress if you couldn’t secure one of those coveted spots. For starters, you’re not alone. You’re also not out of options. Here are nine ways to get work experience without an internship.

1. Get a Summer Job

Many local businesses hire seasonal workers. These gigs are a great way to make some cash, but they’re also an opportunity to gain valuable experience, even if the position is outside your desired field of expertise.

“I encourage my students to ‘think outside the box’ in their part-time job,” Kirk Hazlett, Adjunct Professor of Communication at the University of Tampa, says. “Ask [your] supervisor for additional, perhaps more challenging, assignments. Volunteer to help co-workers with tasks.”

Be sure to leverage and capture the soft skills you develop on your resume. For instance, if you’re working as a restaurant server, emphasize your experience with customer service, problem-solving and project management, Hazlett suggests.

Learn more about hard vs. soft skills.

2. Freelance

Freelancers, or contractors, are self-employed and work for one or several companies on a short-term basis. Companies pay freelancers per-project or task. For instance, they could contract a freelancer to write a blog article, edit videos, or design a website for a small business.

“With freelancing, you can bring in actual money that some internships don’t even offer and effectively broaden your skill set to bolster your resume,” Steven McConnell, career expert and director of sales and marketing at Arielle Executive, says.

If you haven’t freelanced before (and you’re unsure how to get started), consider finding work through sites like Fiverr or Upwork.

“Also check out the Gigs section of Craigslist,” Amanda Brandon, resume coach at ProPolish Resume and Career Services, says. “You can find some great opportunities there.”

3. Complete a Virtual Work Experience

virtual work experience program is an online course that simulates the tasks you would perform if you worked in a particular role at a specific company. Forage, for instance, offers free programs that allow you to experience marketing at Lululemon, sales at Red Bull, and software engineering at JPMorgan Chase. (Check out our complete course catalog to find a virtual work experience in the industries you’re most interested in exploring.)

These programs have many benefits. You can build new skills and showcase your completion certificate on your LinkedIn profile and resume. Many companies add amenable participants to their talent poolOver 80% of ASU students who have completed a virtual work experience have indicated it was highly valuable, sharing feedback such as: I found this learning experience tremendously insightful, engaging, and useful” and “Everything was clear and easy to navigate.”

4. Work on Your Certifications

Career-specific certifications can set applicants apart in the job market. For instance, prospective project managers might want to get a Scrum Master certification, while computer programmers can benefit from becoming certified in specific languages, like C and C++.

“Quite often, certifications require a practical demonstration of the skills — a project, a white paper, a use-case analysis,” Brandon says. “This is considered real-world experience. Draw on your instructor’s feedback and share that on your resume.”

5. Volunteer

ou won’t get paid for the time you put in at a local non-profit or charitable organization, but there are unique benefits to volunteering your services.

“It will signal to employers and recruiters that you are determined and actively in pursuit of self-enrichment,” McConnell says. “These organizations will also put you under mentors who will help guide you to developing key career skills you can include in your resume.”

6. Build Your Brand and Personal Profile

A robust digital presence can set you apart from new graduates with similar skills and credentials, McConnell says.

“Work on your LinkedIn profile, establish a personal website, start your own blog, or initiate a social impact project,” he suggests. “These channels will demonstrate how well you apply what you know and ultimately lead you to the right employer who will value what you can bring to the table and help you achieve even more.”

7. Job Shadow

“Take some time to follow a professional person around for a day or two to get an idea of how they work and if this career is something you feel is worth pursuing,” suggests Kathy Bennett, CEO and Founder of Bennett Packaging.

You can find job-shadowing opportunities through your college career center or by asking family, friends, or local businesses if they know of anyone you can follow in their day-to-day for a brief time.

8. Network

“Take time to get out in your community and network with other companies and professionals to build connections and collide with potential opportunities,” Bennett says.

For instance, if a company won’t let you job-shadow, they may agree to an informational interview, a short informal discussion of their role, company, and industry. In addition, consider attending meetings of local professional organizations within your career of interest.

“For my students, it’s the local chapter of the Public Relations Society of America, or, perhaps, the American Marketing Association,” Hazlett says.

9. Keep Up the Search

Leveraging these and other connections could help you get work experience, but they can also secure that elusive internship for summer or, perhaps, the coming fall.

“I also make sure that [my students] maintain constant communication with their school’s career service office and/or internship coordinator,” Hazlett says. “Occasionally, an internship will pop up that had not previously been advertised.”

By W. P. Carey Career Services Center
W. P. Carey Career Services Center