Dealing With a Summer Internship Rejection

By Aleida Moreno on June 17, 2015

With companies like Fortune declaring that it’s internships and not college that prepares students for a life of full-time work, scoring an exclusive internship seems to be a common goal among college students regardless of their major.

However, we’re all well aware of the competitive nature of scoring a dream internship (especially those rare paid internships).

For those of us who were surprised and heartbroken by a summer internship rejection, I have a guide with things you can do to fill your time whether you’re looking to learn, make money, or have fun this summer.

Forgive yourself about the internship.

It’s really not your fault, so don’t spend too much of your summer wondering about the story behind the unfortunate summer internship rejection. It’s okay! There are a lot of things that you can do to keep productive in the summer, but before that, remind yourself that you’re valuable as a person with or without an internship.

Celebrate your new freedom. You get to choose what to make of your summer! (Image from 123rf.com)

Volunteer somewhere.

 While “interning” does admittedly sound better for bragging about your summer than “volunteering”, there is a lot of value to be had from this under appreciated title. Volunteering is an equally rewarding experience both for you an your resume for next summer. The reason internships are so coveted by students is the fact that they provide the intern with experience in the field and networking opportunities. Nothing screams “I’m really passionate about this field!!” than spending your time off of school looking for alternative ways to gain knowledge about something.

Take a chance for some savings.

 If working during the semester just isn’t cutting it to pay off debts and nights out, summer is a great time to work more hours and save up some cash to cushion your during-the-semester paychecks. Employers are usually quite a bit more impressed with applications that show open availability  and if your plan A for the summer didn’t work out, why not take it as an opportunity to gain experience outside your academic field. Jobs in retail provide people with the kind of experience employers need but we aren’t taught in school like customer service skills, punctuality, and the ability to work well in a team (or lead a team of that’s more your style).

This could be you!! (Image from stocksy.com)

Get through that ever-growing list you made all semester guilt-free.

Everyone keeps a list. Whether yours is “to read”, “to watch”, or “to do” summer is the perfect opportunity to begin to make a dent in it. Students oftentimes feel disappointed during the semester by the lack of opportunities they have to just relax and do something for fun, and those of us that have fun anyway, often feel at least a little guilty every once in a while. Go to a nice coffee shop and read that book you’ve been dying to get through! Pick a day to stay in bed and binge-watch all of Orange is the New Black! Explore that hiking trail that you’ve been meaning to all semester! The summer is yours for the taking, make it something memorable while you have the chance.

Actual image of my own “to read” list (Image from wordpress blog thebookinstinct)

Allow yourself to enjoy your summer.

 For many people college is the last chance at a summer vacation that we get. Make it something truly memorable. Internships may be valuable for your future Self but sometimes the present Self also needs something of value. Take that road trip you’ve been meaning to take, but don’t let it go to waste. If you like sleeping, do that, but make sure that you are doing something you genuinely want to do. You’ve worked harder than you think all semester and don’t let a summer internship rejection convince you otherwise, enjoy the time off you deserve!

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