How to Maximize Your Summer Break and Make the Most of Internships

Koegler isn’t the only resource we’ve enlisted to assist you on an internship journey. IYA students Jenny Choi, Iren Chen, and Nishma Mehta are sharing their advice for maximal internship success (with minimal stress and self-doubt). 

Applying to internships may seem daunting and intimidating, but there are ways to approach this stage that will benefit you today, and in the future. It’s all about taking chances and getting creative with your search, guides Koegler. Remember: You’ll never know if you don’t ask. 

“Explore your existing network (family friends, professional contacts, connections through USC clubs, etc.), and let them know what you're looking to do this summer. You'll be pleasantly surprised where opportunities may start to present themselves. Additionally, you may be able to create an internship opportunity or part time project work with your dream organization by reaching out to them, and simply asking! What do you have to lose?” he says. 

Senior Nishma Mehta’s internship history includes DirecTV, Therma, and ServiceNow, and she’s currently working with the tech startup Enki. She recommends practicing mock interviews in order to get fully prepared. There’s also value in opening up to the unknown and not limiting yourself. 

“Apply as much and wherever you can. You never know what you may end up enjoying. Although it's important to keep in mind the companies and roles that align with your career aspirations, don't restrict yourself, especially when starting out. I never thought startups were the way to go for me, but now I am considering them exclusively for full-time opportunities,” she shares. 

Speaking of considering full-time opportunities, Koegler believes that if the objective of your internship is to get an offer, you can never underestimate the power of networking. By meeting people today, you’re potentially securing mentors and meaningful connections that can help you tomorrow. 

“First, the more advocates you have, the higher your odds of securing that coveted full-time offer.  It's as simple as that. And second, if the company doesn't extend a full-time offer, these advocates can help you identify other opportunities within the company to apply to, and perhaps some additional opportunities outside the company but within their professional network that may be of interest,” he says of the importance of building your network. 

There’s also the advantage of constructive feedback. Make sure you touch base with your managers to encourage assessments, and don’t forget to express your interest in a full-time position. (That may sound obvious, but again, you might never know if you don’t ask and your much-needed cheerleader might be where you don’t expect them to be.) 

“In order to start growing your network as a summer intern, schedule lunch and coffee chats each week with folks who sit on other teams that are of interest. Tell them your story, and why you're interested in what they do. Ask lots of questions, focusing on their career story, and the work their team does. As you continue to build relationships with your coworkers, look for small opportunities to support these individuals in their work and on their projects. Sometimes your strongest advocate can come from a simple 20 minute assist on a fairly basic task,” Koegler says. 

Initiative goes a long way, and according to senior Irene Chen, being proactive and taking charge made her stand out among other interns. Chen was an XR Innovation intern at Volvo – a role that developed into a full-time offer – mentoring employees in VR and AR applications. 

“When you're given the opportunity to do something, exceed their expectations,” she asserts. “I was asked to talk to my manager's manager on what my groups were working on. I came to the meeting ready to talk about the problem we were working on, our solution, and the arc of our progress … instead of just talking about it, I came prepared with a deck with images and videos that supplemented my explanations which I also sent them after presenting. Creating this type of presentation is something I feel that IYA prepares us to do well, so lean into that.” 

Leaning into your unique talents and making sure you communicate your story are just some ways to excel at a role, but we all know that new – and often high-pressure – experiences can be intimidating and overwhelming. There are mindset shifts students can tap into when approaching the application system and the internship experience itself. The key is to not overthink everything. 

“While some pressure is healthy, don't let it overwhelm you,” Koegler offers. “Regardless of whether you're doing a formal internship, a fellowship, or part time work, challenge yourself to always be doing interesting things with interesting people, and learning new skills along the way.  If an internship, project, or other activity is legitimately interesting to you, odds are it will be for a recruiter too!”

Senior Jenny Choi landed on the World of Warcraft team as a Software Engineering intern with Blizzard Entertainment last summer. She’s currently working at a startup called Genies that runs virtual fashion and avatar technology. She found that being clear-cut on her resume to be one of the most critical lessons she’s learned in the application process. Selling herself short was a fear, but being straightforward made things easier.

“One thing I struggled with over the years is that I had so many interests in many areas, and I was hesitant to put my experience in a specific frame of category, as I felt like I am limiting myself. However, I learned that even if I am looking for a role that asks for multi-disciplinary backgrounds, I have to lay out my experience as if I am addressing the job posting directly,” she says.  

No matter what college career stage you’re in, summer break and free time devoted to growing your areas of expertise and finding your professional identity is paramount to getting your foot in the door before you even need to officially enter the room. There are multiple ways to  take this step. 

Koegler says, “For freshman and sophomore students, summer break should be all about developing new professional skills. These can be technical skills or soft skills, but make sure they're something you're confident you will use in your future career. Skill development can come from internships, part time work experience, or in collaborating on ad hoc projects with various clubs, and nonprofits, or with other Academy students. For juniors, summer presents a strategic opportunity to not only develop new skills, but target opportunities within your ideal field or organization.”

While Chen points to the importance of giving yourself a break over the summer, her sentiments echo Koegler’s advice. 

“If you don't have an internship and have a lot more free time during the summer, it might be a good time to explore learning new skills or reach out to people you're interested in having conversations with to learn more about an industry you might want to be in. Getting an internship through networking will be a much easier process than a cold application.” 

Of course, building on your interests and exploring passions is another route to establishing a professional direction. 

“I would consider working on a personal project on the side that you take full ownership of. It is a great way to show what you are interested in and to find out what kind of work you are passionate about,” Choi adds. 

Whether you’re currently cold-emailing recruiters, preparing to start at the position of your dreams, or figuring out how to turn your internship into a full-time offer, these tips and tricks are sure to be of service on your journey. Summer is on the horizon, and so is the next chapter in your career.