This guide is for college students whose internship plans fell through, and for parents wondering what a good summer looks like instead. A summer counts when it builds a skill, a relationship or a record you can talk about later. A paid job, a project, a class, research or volunteering can all do that, if you set a goal and keep a weekly rhythm.
First, do not write the summer off
Missing out on an internship is common, especially early in college, and it says little about your future. Employers often care about what you did and how you describe it more than about the label on it. The risk is not the missing internship; it is a summer with no direction that slips away.
Options that build real experience
A regular job
Retail, food service, camps, warehouses and offices all teach reliability, customer skills and working under pressure. Ask for more responsibility once you are steady, such as training new hires or handling scheduling. That gives you something specific to talk about. See getting a job with no experience.
A self-directed project
Build something with a visible result: a website, a data analysis, a short film, a research paper, a small business or a portfolio. Set a finish date and a public or shareable outcome. Picking a side hustle has ideas if earning matters too.
Research or campus work
Email professors whose classes you liked and ask whether they need help over the summer, even a few hours a week. Some campus offices also hire students in summer.
A class
A summer course can catch you up, get a prerequisite done or let you try a new field. Check with your advisor that the credit will transfer.
Volunteering with responsibility
Choose a role where you own something, like running an event or managing a small program, rather than one-off shifts.
Late or short internships
Some organizations hire close to the start date, and short project-based roles exist. Keep checking the career center’s listings into early summer.
Plan the summer in one hour
- Pick one main goal. Earn money, build a skill, explore a field or catch up academically. Two is the maximum.
- Choose the activity that serves that goal, plus a smaller second one if you have time.
- Write what done looks like. “A finished project I can show” or “saved enough for fall books” is clearer than “get better at coding.”
- Block the weeks. Mark work shifts, project time, trips and family commitments on one calendar.
- Add one networking goal, such as three informational interviews in fields you are curious about.
Keep a weekly rhythm
Summers fade because there is no structure. A simple routine fixes that:
- Set a consistent wake time, even on days off
- Plan the week on Sunday, with project hours treated like shifts; a weekly planner helps
- Keep a running list of what you did and learned; it becomes resume lines and interview stories
- Check progress every two weeks and adjust
Use the summer to set up next year
Late summer is a good time to update your resume and LinkedIn profile, and to note when internship applications open for next summer, since some start in early fall. See landing a college internship. If you will keep a job into the fall, read working while in college.
For parents
A summer at home can bring friction over sleep, chores and how time is spent. Agree on a few expectations early, such as work hours, help around the house and a goal for the summer, rather than reacting week to week. Ask what the student wants to show for the summer by August, and let them plan the route.
Where a mentor helps
Without classes, the hardest part of summer is structure. A mentor helps the student choose a goal, build the plan, follow through each week and practice talking about the experience afterward. Sessions are by video in the student’s time zone, with text check-ins between, and with the student’s permission parents receive progress updates. See mentoring for college students and accountability coaching.
Related
- Mentoring for college students
- Landing a college internship
- LinkedIn for college students
- Choosing a major as AI changes work
- Winter Break for College Students: How to Make It Count
Common questions
Is it bad to not have an internship in college?
No. Many students do not have one every summer. A job, project, research or volunteering can build skills and stories that employers value just as much when you explain them well.
What should a college student do in the summer without an internship?
Pick one goal, such as earning money or building a skill, then choose a job, project, class or volunteer role that serves it and keep a weekly routine.
Does a regular summer job count on a resume?
Yes. Reliability, customer service and taking on responsibility are relevant to almost any role, especially when you describe specific things you did.
When should I start looking for next summer’s internship?
Often in the fall. Some employers open applications months ahead, so check with the career center early in the school year.
Get started
Want help turning a summer into a plan? Call (888) 305 5422, email contact@blackburnmentoring.com or start with a short assessment. A member of our team reviews every assessment personally and sets up a free intro call.