2 Innovative Options for Summer Internships that Will Impress Employers

Employers value it when you can think outside the box — or take the box and stand on it, toss it aside, or otherwise show creativity and innovation.

Innovation also helps you because it is one of the best ways to solve big problems.

Enter the problem of summer internships during the coronavirus economy. Has your internship been eliminated or reduced? Are you still trying to figure out your revised summer plans?

Here are two innovative ideas that can help you think outside the box for your summer and impress future employers with your ability to stay on the leading edge of the best career management practices.

Get a Micro-Internship

Micro-internships are a new and growing variation on the traditional internship. At Parker Dewey, employers post short-term projects that a student or recent grad can do for pay.

This gives you exposure to a wide variety of the kinds of tasks you’ll encounter in entry-level positions, without the commitment of a full internship. This can allow you to have several experiences over the course of the summer (or during the year) — testing out several different types of work and gaining diverse experience.

Most jobs tend to pay between $20 and $25/hour, take from five to 40 hours, and can be done remotely.

Find a Virtual Internship from Intern from Home

Intern from Home, as it says on its website, “connects highly qualified students with forward-thinking companies for virtual internships.” It’s a new platform which has resulted in 150 placements so far.

Companies post their opportunities (mostly start-ups so far — which can be a very engaging work environment) and then you submit an application through Google Docs. Very simple! All opportunities are vetted to maintain quality.