Finding Your Perfect Summer Internship
Though it’s only January, you should be on the look out for summer internship opportunities. Some internship deadlines have already passed, but you still have time, so start looking now! If you’re not sure where to begin searching, check out the sources below:
If you’re a due-paying PRSSA member…
The Internship Center is an exclusive benefit for dues-paying PRSSA members, and it’s a resource to search for internships. Employers who post on this portal are looking for PRSSA students and know that members already are taking the extra step to advance their future career.
If you have a LinkedIn account (if you don’t, then get one right now)…
LinkedIn isn’t solely for professional networking. You can search for internships, too. Under “Jobs” you can search the phrase “Public Relations Intern,” or something related, and filter your results by location, company and industry.
You can also check on LinkedIn to see if any of your connections or alumni network work at the company you are interested in. It could be a great way to leverage your network or alumni connections and ask for a reference or advice when applying for the internship. If you want to search through your connections, search a company name in the white search bar on the home page. If the results don’t show people, make sure you are searching for “People” and your “1st Connections.” You can mark these categories on the left sidebar. If you want to search through your alumni network, under “My Network,” click on “Find Alumni” and then search the company. The results below will show alumni from your university that currently work or previously worked at the company you searched. (F.Y.I. Hershey, PepsiCo and FleishmanHillard are looking for summer interns!)
If you’re looking for a specific company….
If you have a specific company in mind that you’d like to intern for, search on the company website. Look for a “Careers” or “About Us” section. If you still cannot find any internships, do not be afraid to give the company a call or send an email. This will show curiosity and initiative.
Another option is to do a good old-fashioned Google search. For example, if I was looking for internships through company X, search “X summer internships,” or something related, and click on the results. Once again, if you’re not having any luck searching online, call or email the company to inquire about their internships.
If your college has a job portal for students…
Utilizing your college’s job portal is a great way to find local and national internships. From my personal experience I found more local internships, but it never hurts to check back occasionally in case a national internship is posted.
There are hundreds of other sources to find internships, but these resources have been the most beneficial to me and you can check them year-round. I hope these resources help you in your quest for the perfect summer internship. Happy internship searching! May the odds be ever in your favor.
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Kaitlin Biersach is a junior at the University of Wisconsin Oshkosh studying public relations and radio, TV and film. She is currently the president of the Dr. Julie Henderson PRSSA Chapter and a Titan Gold Corps. for her university. Previously, she was the public relations intern for Zizzo Group, an agency in Milwaukee.
