Summer is finally here and students are looking forward to long days of sunshine and friends. For some students, the summer semester is a perfect time for them to get a few more classes out of the way and bring them one step closer to graduating.
The summer is also the time to try and find that summer job or internship. The idea of spending this season working fills some students with dread and they would rather use their time with friends and family or maybe just doing nothing at all.
According to Lindsay Tate, the Community Engagement Coordinator, summer jobs are the best time for students to gain the experience that they need for their careers, even if it is a job that is not within their field.
“A lot of employers get scared of people who have never had a job before because they feel like they kind of have to teach them the “unwritten rules” of professionalism: arriving on time, dressing appropriately, having good hygiene, interacting with others, just following directions, just kind of those basic skills that you learn from that first job,” she said.
Tate says that it is important to find a job where they can teach the basic skills of having a job before students get a job that is within their field.
“We always recommend students get some type of job before they go for that first career job,” Tate said.
According to Nina Berler, a college counselor, in an interview with Unigo, students need to invest their time and energy in a summer job to establish their future.
“To college students, my advice is to start a spreadsheet of future possibilities now,” she says. “Students should set up the skeleton of a resume on their computers and, before going back to school in the fall, stop by a prospective employer and inquire about next summer.”
According to Berler, a summer job will give college students career readiness that will be invaluable to them in the future.
For Tate, there aren’t many downsides to finding a summer job. She says that many students can still enjoy their summer while also building their experience and networking.
“You can find a job where you’re only working 10 or 15 hours per week and then it’s part time and you still get to enjoy your summer, but if you find the right fit, then you can also find a fun job,” she says.
The right fit, according to Tate, all depends on what the student’s characteristics are and where their best environment is.
There is a large debate on whether college students should focus more on finding the right internship. Patrick O’Brien, entrepreneur and professor, said in an interview with USA Today that an internship, or even just a job, gives college students the experience they need for their future.
“There are many definitions of the word “internship, but my bottom line is that you should do whatever you can to gain work experience as a college student during the summer. It will validate that you have chosen the right major and also make you infinitely more employable at the end of your college experience,” O’Brien said.
According to O’Brien, internships can give college students the best possible opportunity for their future careers, but for some students, like freshmen and sophomores, internships aren’t always available. O’Brien said that the best choice for them is to find a job that will help build up their resume.
Tate also says that summer is the perfect time to get an internship that will build up their resume and it will also give them the experience they need and also set them up for their future. She says that the majority of internships turn into jobs for students.
Dr. Susan Davis-Ali, Carlson School of Management faculty, takes a different approach in her interview with USA Today. She argues that it is up to the student themselves to decide what will be best for them and their future.
“A summer without an internship is not the kiss of death for you future career success. Your summer plans should be a matter of priority and only you can decide for certain what your top summer priority is,” she said.
According to Davis-Ali, some students may need a respite from the crazy school year and a summer break may be just the thing for them, but other students may want to earn some extra cash and become focused on their career.
“Know yourself, and know what you need to do this summer in order to be best prepared for academic success in the fall,” Davis-Ali advises.
The process of finding a job may seem long and dauning for some, but Tate says that experience is worth it. Tate says that the millennial generation will find a new job every three years and that the experience of applying and interviewing for jobs is an important skill to have before students graduate.
“It’s good to develop thick skin early on because in life you’re not going to get every job you apply for. You’re going to have to go through the process of job searching. It’s just the way it is… It’s good to develop those skills now,” she said.
Laina Yost
Associate Editor