No summer internship? Here are 11 alternative ways to make the summer count
Sent by Lasse Palomaki | May 19, 2025
This post was originally published in The Strategic Student Newsletter — a monthly email sharing practical strategies to help students turn their degree into job offers. Want future editions sent straight to your inbox? Subscribe here.
No Summer Internship? Here are 11 Alternative Ways to Make the Summer Count
Most entry-level roles require experience. Fair or not, that’s the reality. Recruiters want to see that you’ve applied your classroom knowledge in a real-world setting and that you can operate effectively in the workplace.
In fact, the 2024 NACE Job Outlook Survey reports:
“Employers cite internship experience as the top deciding factor when they are deciding between two equally qualified candidates.”
Put simply, having an internship (or better yet, multiple internships) is a strong asset for your post-grad job search.
But — not having one this summer does not mean your post-grad career prospects are gone. Below are 11 alternative ways to help you gain career momentum this summer.
Quick note: Not all of these are direct substitutes for internships. Some will give you hands-on experience you can add to your resume. Others will build your confidence, expand your network, and put you in rooms (and inboxes) that can lead to projects, internships, or mentors down the line.
Want to be extra strategic? Before choosing which of these actions to prioritize, look up a few job or internship listings in your target field. Identify 2–3 skills or tools that show up repeatedly and use that as your filter to choose the actions that best support your goals.
The list is ordered from lower-commitment options to more complex ones. Some take just a few hours; others may take weeks. These aren’t a checklist, but an array of options to choose from.
Here’s what we’ll cover — feel free to jump to the ones that speak to you:
1. Conduct Informational Interviews
2. Attend Professional Association Events
3. Take Online Courses (MOOCs)
4. Complete a Virtual Job Simulation
5. Do an Externship
6. Volunteer in a Relevant Field
7. Work an On-Campus Job
8. Contribute to a Family Business
9. Try Freelancing
10. Launch a Side Project or Hustle
11. Work a Part- or Full-Time Summer Job
1. Conduct Informational Interviews
An informational interview is a short, strategic conversation with a professional working in a role, company, or industry you’re curious about. Regardless of your major or career goals, chances are that someone else has already walked the path you’re considering. Learning from their experience can save you time, boost your confidence, and open doors you didn’t know existed — including referrals, shadowing opportunities, or even internships and full-time roles.
While informational interviews don’t go on your resume, they help shape what does. Students who do them gain guidance on what skills to build, who to connect with, and how to stand out in their target field. And when that guidance is acted on, it can lead to stronger applications, more impactful conversations, and more focused next steps — all of which make you more competitive down the line.
Here's how to get started:
Identify professionals (e.g., alumni from your institution) who work in the roles, organizations, or industries you want to explore
Reach out to them via LinkedIn or email to request a short conversation
Prepare thoughtful questions and present yourself professionally
Reflect on the insights you gain and follow up professionally — both with a thank-you message and any action items they recommended
Need more help with this? Check out my full Informational Interview Guide — it includes step-by-step instructions, outreach templates, 50+ sample questions, and an editable workbook you can use to plan, track, and follow through on your own informational interviews.
2. Attend Professional Association Events
Professional associations often host networking sessions, webinars, and other events for students and early-career professionals — and many are free or low-cost. These events are a low-pressure way to explore your field, learn from professionals, and make connections that could support you down the line.
While these don’t directly build experience (similar to informational interviews), they expand your visibility, help you learn the language of your industry, and can lead to future referrals, job leads, or even mentors.
Most students only think of big-name national organizations, but the real opportunity often lies in local chapters and regional groups. Think young professional networks, regional associations, or industry-specific meetup groups. These are often more accessible, more personal, and easier to get involved in as a student.
Here’s how to get started:
Search for local professional associations in your area and set a goal to attend 1–2 meetings this summer
Prepare a quick introduction — your name, major and year, why you’re attending, what you’re hoping to learn, and your career goals (so people know how they can support you)
During the event, be a sponge — ask thoughtful questions, show genuine curiosity, and take notes
After the event, consider connecting on LinkedIn with any interesting individuals you spoke with — it’s an easy way to stay in touch and stay on their radar
Not sure where to find these events? Try this ChatGPT prompt:
“I’m a college student majoring in [your major] and based in [your city]. What are some local or regional professional associations or young professional groups in my field that offer student-friendly events or networking opportunities?”
3. Take Online Courses (MOOCs)
Summer is the perfect time to stack skills that compound over time and give you an edge when it’s time to compete for internships and jobs. Most students won’t take that initiative, which makes it one of the easiest ways to get ahead.
MOOCs (massive open online courses) offer thousands of free or low-cost classes in business, tech, marketing, data, and more. Whether you’re upskilling in Excel, SEO, SQL, or something more niche, there is a course out there for you.
While this doesn’t directly build experience, it does build your ability to perform in future roles — and it gives you a strong story to tell in interviews about how driven and self-directed you are when it comes to your field. That initiative stands out.
Here’s how to get started:
Identify skills and knowledge that are relevant to your major and career goals
Search for courses that help you build those skills — try platforms like Coursera, LinkedIn Learning, edX, or Google Digital Garage
Set daily and weekly learning goals — even one hour a day adds up to 80+ hours by the end of summer
Create something that shows what you’ve learned — a case study, mock campaign, or project is great (you can also study how top companies in your field operate and apply those insights to your own mock project or analysis)
Optional: Post what you learned on LinkedIn to show initiative and application
Not sure what skills you should be building? Try this ChatGPT prompt:
“I’m a college student majoring in [your major] and interested in working in [your target industry or role]. What are 5 in-demand skills I should build this summer, and what are some free or low-cost online courses I can take to get started?”
4. Complete a Virtual Job Simulation
Virtual job simulations are short, self-paced modules designed by real companies to give you a taste of what it’s like to work in a specific role or industry. You’ll complete real-world tasks, like analyzing data, creating a marketing plan, or reviewing financials, using actual frameworks and tools professionals use on the job.
While these don’t replace hands-on experience, they show initiative, help you test-drive different career paths, and give you a project you can add to your resume or portfolio. They're especially useful if you're still exploring options or want to build credibility in a new field.
Here’s how to get started:
Check out platforms like Forage for simulations from top companies
Choose a simulation that aligns with your major or a role you’re interested in
Reflect on what you learned and how it connects to your skills so that you can discuss it in interviews
Not sure how to share your job simulation experience with recruiters? Try this ChatGPT prompt:
“I'm a [your major] student and I just completed a virtual job simulation related to [insert field]. Can you help me turn that into a short LinkedIn post that shows what I learned and why it matters for my major? And how could I also talk about this experience in an internship interview to show initiative and career interest?”
5. Do an Externship
Not to be confused with an internship, an externship is typically a short-term, observation-based experience. You follow a professional through their workday — watching how they manage tasks, interact with others, and make decisions. You can think of it as a career test-drive.
Externships are especially helpful for first- or second-year students exploring their options or trying to get their foot in the door, and those exploring what kind of role or environment might be the right fit. And because they’re shorter than internships (sometimes just 1–3 days), they’re easier to arrange and complete over summer break (you can even complete multiple of these over the summer).
This doesn’t build hands-on experience, but it helps you make smarter career decisions — and gives you language to talk about what you’ve seen and learned. It’s also a great way to build relationships that could lead to future internships or referrals.
Here’s how to get started:
Talk to your professors, career center, family, or friends to see if they know someone you could shadow — or search for alumni on LinkedIn who work locally in roles or industries that interest you
Identify small businesses in your area that align with your major or career goals — you can even walk in and ask if the owner would be open to letting you observe for a day or two
You can also check platforms like Extern that offer structured virtual externship-style experiences
Prepare a short pitch that includes who you are, what you’re studying, why you’re interested in their field or business, and a genuine compliment or reason you’re reaching out to them specifically
During the externship, observe closely, take notes, ask thoughtful questions, and follow up with a thank-you message that reflects on what you learned
Need help with what to say when asking to extern? Here’s a sample message you can adapt — whether you’re reaching out by email, LinkedIn, or even introducing yourself in person.
Hi [Name],
My name is [Your Name], and I’m a [year] student studying [your major] at [your university]. I came across your profile/business and was really impressed by [something specific you admire — e.g., the way they’ve built their brand, the work they’re doing in [field], their community impact, etc.].
I’m currently exploring career paths related to [your field/interest], and I’d love to learn more about what a day in your work looks like. If you’d be open to it, I was wondering if I could shadow you for a few hours or a day sometime this summer to get a better understanding of the field.
Totally understand if that’s not possible, but I thought I’d reach out and ask!
Thanks so much for considering!
[Your name]
Tweak this to fit your voice. Also, keep in mind that written messages (email or LinkedIn) tend to be more formal than in-person conversations, so adjust your tone based on how you’re reaching out.
6. Volunteer in a Relevant Field
There are lots of ways to volunteer — and while most of them feel good, not all of them deliver the same career ROI. When approached strategically, volunteering becomes more than service. It becomes experience you can talk about on your resume and in interviews.
The key is to choose roles that align with the skills you want to build and the kind of work you want to do. For example:
If you're a marketing major, offer to improve a nonprofit’s social media engagement, build email campaigns, or run a local awareness push.
If you're a computer science major, look for local small businesses that need help building or updating their websites, improving digital workflows, or organizing internal data.
If you're an education major, offer to support a youth organization by tutoring students, creating learning materials, or helping design educational activities for summer programs.
The closer the role is to your target field, the easier it is to translate that experience into interviews, applications, and future opportunities.
Not sure how to apply your major in a volunteer setting? Try this ChatGPT prompt:
“I’m a college student majoring in [your major] currently based in [your city or region], and I want to volunteer this summer in a way that builds career-relevant experience. What are 5 types of local organizations I could support and specific ways I could apply my skills in each?”
Here’s how to get started:
Search for local nonprofits or small businesses using Google or Perplexity AI
Do a little homework on their operations — review their website, social media, or storefront and identify gaps or opportunities in your major/area of expertise
Reach out with a short proposal: what you noticed, how you could help, and why it matters — the more specific and realistic, the easier it is for them to say yes (and don’t overpromise — they don’t expect miracles from a volunteer)
Once you’re in, set expectations, document your contributions, and track your results
One student I worked with, a senior marketing major, volunteered to help a local animal shelter with their social media presence and later leveraged that experience to land a full-time role after graduation. Read more about her story here.
7. Work at an On-Campus Job
University campuses don’t shut down in the summer — but campus jobs often get overlooked. Many offices stay open year-round and actively hire part-time help during the summer. These roles are often flexible, accessible, and a great way to build experience while staying connected to your campus community.
Whether you're assisting in student services, staffing the rec center, supporting residence life, or helping faculty with research logistics, these roles give you real-world experience you can list on your resume and discuss in interviews.
Here’s how to get started:
Check your school’s student employment portal or email departments directly to ask if they’re hiring summer help
Submit any application materials they require and complete any onboarding items
Track your responsibilities, challenges you’ve handled, and any processes or tools you’ve learned — you’ll use these details later on your resume and in interviews
Need help applying or turning your campus job into a strong resume bullets later? Check out our full Resume Guide for step-by-step help, real examples, and templates that make it easy to get started.
8. Contribute to a Family Business
This option won’t apply to everyone — but if your family (or someone in your family) operates a small business, it might be one of the most accessible and high-impact ways to apply what you’re learning.
Whether it’s operations, marketing, customer experience, finance, or something else, treat your involvement like a consulting engagement: identify needs, propose solutions, and deliver results.
This builds direct experience. You’ll face actual business challenges, gain firsthand exposure to how things operate behind the scenes, and walk away with outcomes you can speak to on your resume and in interviews.
Here’s how to get started:
Ask where support is most needed — logistics, inventory, outreach, marketing, customer service, data tracking, etc. (ideally in a way that aligns with your major and career goals)
Identify needs and propose specific, realistic improvement ideas based on your strengths
Implement solutions, measure your impact, and document what changed (e.g., time saved, revenue added, waste reduced)
One of my former students worked in his family’s convenience store while majoring in supply chain. He noticed inefficiencies in how inventory was tracked and proposed a better system based on what he’d learned in class. After implementing it, they reduced restocking issues and improved overall efficiency — and he used that story effectively in interviews to demonstrate initiative, impact, and applied knowledge.
9. Try Freelancing
Freelancing lets you apply what you're learning in class to real-world projects — and get paid for it. Whether you’re skilled in writing, designing, coding, translating, editing, or something else, platforms like Upwork and Fiverr connect you with people who need your skills.
You don’t need to commit long-term or build a six-figure business — just a few short gigs can help you test the waters. If it turns out freelancing isn’t the right fit (for your skills or your working style), you haven’t lost anything. But if it clicks, you can always scale it later. It’s one of the lowest-risk ways to dip your toes into client work.
Freelancing builds direct experience you can add on your resume and teaches you how to manage deadlines, communicate with clients, scope projects, handle feedback, and deliver real value — all while sharpening the hard and soft skills you’ll use in any job.
Here’s how to get started:
Identify a skill you already have that others might pay for — think copywriting, social media management, tutoring, spreadsheet work, or design (web or graphic)
Create a simple freelancer profile on platforms like Upwork or Fiverr (or reach out directly to local small businesses who might need help)
Start small: take on low-stakes projects to build experience, collect reviews, and learn the ropes
Not sure what freelance services you could offer with your major? Try this ChatGPT prompt to identify the skills you already have and how to frame them for potential clients:
“I’m a college student majoring in [your major], and I want to try freelancing this summer — either by offering services to local small businesses or through platforms like Fiverr. What are some skills students in my major typically develop that could be turned into freelance services, and how might I describe those services in a clear, compelling way?”
10. Launch a Side Project or Hustle
Whether it’s a creative outlet like a blog, an online store like Etsy, or a physical service like car detailing, side projects give you something most structured experiences don’t: control. You choose the topic, set the timeline, make the decisions, and own the results (good and bad).
These projects often start small, but they can lead to real outcomes — things you can point to and say, “I built this.” And even if they don’t take off, you’ll have stories to share about what you tried, what you learned, and how you adapted.
This builds direct experience across multiple areas. You’ll likely wear several hats from creative (like branding and marketing) to operational (like logistics and budgeting) to customer-facing (like communication and support). That range not only sharpens your skills, it helps you see how all the pieces of a business or initiative fit together.
Taking on a side project shows initiative, follow-through, and self-motivation — all things employers notice and value.
Here’s how to get started:
Choose a project tied to your skills, interests, or career goals — something you're curious enough to stick with for a few months (results often take time)
Outline simple goals for your project and establish a loose timeline to keep yourself on track
Study others who’ve done something similar (whether students or full-time entrepreneurs) and commit yourself in the process by actually writing a business plan, testing ideas, gathering feedback
Build and share it even if it’s imperfect — progress beats polish, and the only way to learn is to do
If your school has an entrepreneurship program or faculty with experience launching ventures, don’t hesitate to reach out to them and learn from their advice. You can also check out your local Chamber of Commerce for additional resources.
Personal note: I actually started my own business this way. While working a full-time job, I had developed skills in helping students with their internship and job search — just like you might be building skills right now through your classes, projects, or part-time roles.
It started with a few coaching and workshop gigs through word of mouth. I didn’t have a brand, a business plan, or a website — just a skill and the willingness to figure it out. Over time, that small start turned into something bigger: I’ve now worked with hundreds of students, partnered with over 35 colleges and universities to deliver workshops, and built what is now The Strategic Student — an LLC, newsletter, and full suite of resources for students like you.
If you’re curious, you can check out what all of this has led to here.
11. Work a Part-Time or Full-Time Summer Job
Whether you’re working retail, serving tables, lifeguarding, or running the front desk at your local gym, you’re building real, resume-worthy skills. These jobs are often overlooked in career conversations since they’re typically not directly related to your major, but they’re packed with lessons in professionalism, accountability, and how to operate in a real-world environment. And the skills you build will transfer to just about any future role.
Here's how to get started:
Look for openings on platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, your school’s job board, or by walking into nearby businesses with a resume in hand
Prioritize roles that let you build transferable skills and that align with your major or target career (if possible)
Treat it like a professional opportunity: show up reliably, take initiative, and ask for feedback
If your main duties aren’t related to your major, ask if you can help with other projects or responsibilities that are (after you’ve earned trust in your main role)
Track key moments (e.g., where you solved problems or made things more efficient) so you can turn them into strong resume and interview points later
Not sure how your summer job translates to your future target roles? Try this ChatGPT prompt to identify transferable skills you’re gaining:
"I’m currently working as a [insert your summer job — e.g., barista, retail associate, front desk assistant]. Here are 2–3 bullets describing what I do:
• [Paste bullet 1]
• [Paste bullet 2]
• [Optional bullet 3]
I’m interested in applying for [insert your target internship or job]. I've copied the job description below. Based on this, what transferable skills am I demonstrating in my current role, and how can I reframe or rewrite these bullets to better align with the role I’m targeting?
[Paste job description]”
This Month’s Challenge
Each month, I'll share a simple exercise, habit, or mindset shift that, when repeated and built upon, can help you maximize the return you get from college over time.
Here’s this month’s challenge:
Step 1: Reverse-engineer your goals
Pull up 3–5 job or internship listings that reflect roles you’d be excited to land in the next year or two — ideally roles aligned with your major or career interests. As you scan them, take note of any patterns:
What tools or technical skills are repeatedly listed?
What types of experience are they asking for?
What behavioral traits show up in the descriptions (e.g., initiative, communication, project ownership)?
Highlight 2–3 skills or themes that keep showing up. These are your targets.
Step 2: Pick your summer strategy
Revisit the list of 10 summer alternatives in this newsletter. Choose 1–2 options that would help you build or demonstrate the exact skills you just identified. Then, ask yourself:
How does it connect to the skills, relationships, or opportunities I want to build this summer?
How will this activity help me close a gap between where I am and where I want to go?
What evidence (e.g., project, deliverable, story) will I be able to point to when this is done?
Don’t pick what sounds impressive. Pick what makes sense based on your target roles.
Step 3: Take your first strategic step
Pick one small action you can complete today or tomorrow that moves you forward. Not a full project. Just one action. Examples:
Run a skill audit based on interesting internship and job listings
Email one alum to ask about shadowing or freelance help
Sign up for a MOOC or simulation aligned with a target skill
Momentum builds fast — but only after you take that first step. Don’t wait for perfect conditions. Just start.
Ready to be More Strategic About Internships
This edition focused on what to do if you don’t have an internship, but let’s imagine you do have one. Having an internship is a great step. But getting one isn’t the finish line, it’s just the starting point. The real ROI comes from how you show up once you're in.
That’s why I offer a workshop to help students make their internships count, so they can build skills, leave a strong impression, and come out with a high-impact experience, relationships, and possibly even return offers:
Internships That Count Workshop: A hands-on session (delivered virtually or in person) where I walk students through how to approach their internship with purpose. We cover key moves to make before, during, and after the internship — including how to stand out early, build meaningful relationships, and ask for more responsibility the right way.
Read more about this workshop here.
Quick note: I’ve delivered this workshop to hundreds of students at institutions across the country and I’d love to bring it to your campus too!
NEW: Career Exploration Guide (+Prompts)
Summer is a great time to start exploring careers, especially if you’re still figuring out what direction you want to take. But here’s the challenge: most students don’t know where to start. Career exploration often feels vague and overwhelming.
That’s why I’ve launched a new resource to help you explore your options with more structure and confidence.
The Career Exploration Guide walks you through practical ways to learn about different industries, roles, and career paths, even if you’re early in your journey. You’ll get:
15 career exploration tactics and tools that will give you a clearer sense of direction
Smart ChatGPT prompts to help you brainstorm roles that align with your major, values, and goals
A step-by-step flow to help you go from “I don’t know what I want to do” to “I have a direction and a plan”
You can read the full guide here.
That's it for today. I’ll be back next month with more practical, no-fluff advice to keep you moving forward.
In the meantime, you can check out a full list of our resources — including free guides, tools, and more — here, and follow me on LinkedIn for weekly content here.
College is an investment. Let’s make sure you get a return on it.
Lasse
Founder, The Strategic Student
