I DIDN'T GET A SUMMER INTERNSHIP

I D I D N ’ T G E T A S U M M E R I N T E R N S H I P — W H A T D O I D O N O W ?

J A N E L L E S E S S O M S

Summer is officially here, and it feels like Fall is just around the corner. For some students, summer is the time to finally sit back, relax and take a long break from nonstop assignments and exams. For others it’s the perfect opportunity to gain work experience in the professional world without the distractions of school. Or as we like to call it — summer internships. As great as these experiences are, let’s be honest, they are extremely competitive to get.

With hundreds of applicants vying for the same one to two open positions, there’s no guarantee of landing that summer internship. Fortunately, not getting a summer internship doesn’t mean you still can’t further your career. Don’t let not having an internship stop you from forging ahead in your professional development. There is plenty of opportunity to still grow and be productive during summer without working as an intern. Fashion Fundamentals has compiled a list of other things you can do when you’re not working at a summer internship.

GET A JOB IN RETAIL

Rule number one as a fashion student is to have retail experience. If you don’t have any prior retail experience, then let this be your sign to go and apply. If you have already worked in retail, there is nothing wrong with returning to the industry for more experience. Maybe this time you can switch it up by applying to a store that sells the opposite styles from where you worked before. If you previously worked at a thrift store, then this time you can try working at a higher-end establishment.

Working in retail may not sound like the most exciting job on the planet, but it’s more beneficial than you would think. You develop skills in customer service, time management, working under pressure, quick problem solving as well as working in a team. These are all things that any employer would want in an intern and skills that you can bring to the table for all future internships. Working in retail is an incredibly rewarding job and should definitely be something to consider if you’re not spending the summer as an intern.

WORK AS A FREELANCER

Never underestimate the power of freelancing! If you don’t know what freelancing is — it’s essentially working for yourself and getting hired for specific projects. Freelancing is not an uncommon thing in the fashion industry. The best part is that you can start at any point in your career. If there are any specific skill sets that you know you already excel in, there are a plethora of companies that are constantly looking for freelancers to get the job done. If you write well then check out different magazine websites and pitch stories to editors. Being a freelancer doesn’t just give you work experience, it also develops professional skills. Organization skills, time management, responsibility and adaptability are key skills that make a respectable freelancer. Use this summer as an opportunity to take initiative and land those freelancing gigs.

CREATE YOUR OWN OPPORTUNITIES

Career paths are not straight lines, they’re zig zags. No one said you have to go through the typical channels to be able to book jobs. You absolutely have the opportunity to reach out to others on your own merit. Through this way you may result in creating your own opportunities. If you are pursuing a career as a stylist reach out to local photographers and ask if they need a stylist for their shoots. If there is any career path that is of interest to you, find someone that works in that respective field and ask if you can shadow them or assist them in any way. This not only gives you first hand experience that can build your resume and portfolio but also helps create relationships with professionals.

BUILD YOUR NETWORK

Use the time you have to build up your network. Networking is one of the most important things to do to build a career, especially in the fashion industry. There are so many companies out there that don’t look for interns through public postings but exclusively use their network to find recruits.One of the best things you can do to help with future internships and job searches is to reach out to professionals that are already in the industry. If that’s not a step you feel prepared to take yet, then you can also connect with other students who may have interned at a company of your interest or are pursuing similar goals as you. Basically, networking is everything. You can use resources like LinkedIn to help guide you in finding people to reach out to that work in your field of interest. Who knows, you may connect with someone that could open the doors you need to land an internship for next summer.

Hopefully this list of summer activities will help you on your journey towards success. Not having a summer internship is not the end of the world and it definitely should not be a step back for your career. At the end of the day, only you can have true control over your path to success. So work hard, hustle and make those connections. An internship isn’t the only way to develop skills and gain valuable experience to add to that resume. Do what you can to make this summer count for something.