Students struggling to find an internship due to COVID may want to pivot

Every student and every recent graduate at every one-, two-, and four-year college and university should make regular use of their career service office in their search for part-time, seasonal, internship, and entry-level jobs. Unfortunately, nationwide, only about 20 percent of students make use of their college career service office.

At College Recruiter, we’d really like to see far more students understand the tremendous value that they can receive at no charge from their college career service office. We believe that one of the primary reasons that most students do not use their career service offices is that they don’t appreciate the wisdom that the professionals in those office are happy to share.

A great example is Laurie Hollister, director of career services at New York Institute of Technology, who recently shared with College Recruiter the following tips on how students can find an internship during this pandemic:

1. Be Proactive: Two important pieces accompany every job or internship search; resume and cover letter. Have your resume reviewed and ’employer ready.’ Learn the elements of a great cover letter, which will sell you as an excellent candidate before you get the interview. These steps will ensure you’ll be prepared to apply when opportunity knocks.  
2. Use Your College Resources: The Handshake and other career service office management platforms and the college career center are every college student’s friend. The most competitive summer 2021 internship opportunities are already posted. Set up a job alert with broad criteria and receive notices about new postings daily. Practice virtual interviewing with your career adviser as all recruiting in the near future remains virtual.
3. Reinvent Yourself: If hiring in your industry is flat due to COVID, talk to your career coach about making a pivot. Use your skills in a related industry instead of missing out on an internship. Government agencies and non-profits may have unpaid opportunities where you’ll gain excellent experience. Talk to your college about financial support while interning without pay; many offer a stipend to help cover costs.