Internship for Current College Sophmore

[Anonymous]

My DS is trying to apply to internships for next summer and most are very specific that they only want current juniors or seniors to apply. But then even those internships expect the intern to have significant experience - how do they get that experience if they can't even apply to internships like this until they are a junior?

My DS is not at a tippy top school and is an econ major. How are these current sophomores generally getting internships? I am not talking about the super competitive ones. He is not seeking those. Just something that is entry level and very mid-market, really anything that will allow him to gain skills. Do most kids get internships for sophomore summer based on contacts of the parents? I want to make sure he is not missing anything.

[Anonymous]

My daughter found a few through the college career center. Can your DS start there?

[Anonymous]

100% through parent contacts as freshmen and probably sophomores.

[Anonymous]

Honestly, through your contacts. He may luck out by applying to like 200 positions. My DC did that freshman year and lucked out with a F500. The next two summers I made some phone calls for them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My daughter found a few through the college career center. Can your DS start there?

this. OP, your kid should be making the most of the career center. After that, pester their profs. Then send out 100s of letters. It's a tough market but this is what you have to o to land something, especially after sophomore year. The fact that they are not at a great college is going to be a problem, so your kid MUST use the college contacts via the career center and professorial contacts is paramount.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:100% through parent contacts as freshmen and probably sophomores.

My kids got their internships through career fairs.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Honestly, through your contacts. He may luck out by applying to like 200 positions. My DC did that freshman year and lucked out with a F500. The next two summers I made some phone calls for them.

Really? I have a large network,but my kids did it on their own.

[Anonymous]

I was an economics major long ago.

After freshman year...worked at a dept. store

After sophomore year...on campus research assistant (unpaid, for credit) for a psychology professor

After junior year...unpaid internship with an economic development consultancy (partnership) (dad's contacts)

After senior year...crappy job market...recommended for internship with a labor union by my labor econ prof.

[Anonymous]

Both kids found theirs on their own.