This summer is the first one in about five years that I am actually able to “take it easy”. Compared to past years where my summers were spent working 40-50 hour workweeks and sometimes attending classes, this summer feels like a breeze. Summer classes are a thing of the past, and although I am still working, I do not work nearly as much. But despite having plenty of time to kill, I chose to make this summer a productive and fun-filled one.
In this economy, it can be hard for high school and college students to find a summer job; small to medium businesses do not have the budget to hire folks like they used to a few years ago. So, rather than devoting all of your time and effort to landing a summer job, it is important to also focus on gaining other precious life skills and experience.
Finding a summer internship or volunteering at different organizations can be a great resume booster, as well as teach you valuable personal and professional lessons. While working for free does not sound like the most enticing idea—hey, I get it! I have bills to pay, too—it is crucial to think about the long-term benefits of doing so.
Doing an internship is a great opportunity to gain experience in your chosen field and to see professionals in action. It is also a great way to make new friends and to make contacts within the industry, which you could certainly use as references. Finally, impressing the right people could lead to landing a job for this company or being referred to companies with job openings!
Similarly, volunteering provides many benefits. You learn and develop new skills. For example, volunteering at a non-profit organization may lead to planning and implementing a major fundraising event. This, in turn, can develop goal setting, planning and budgeting skills. In addition, after becoming a “seasoned” volunteer, you could end up supervising and training other volunteers, which would help develop your supervisory and training skills. Volunteering also allows you to form part of your community and give back. If that was not enough, volunteering gives you motivation and a sense of achievement by being part of a collective effort to improve peoples’ lives, while boosting your career options.
But I know you might be thinking to yourself: have I not heard this before? How does he know interning/volunteering will pay off?
I can certainly tell you that I have not only talked the talk, but I have also walked the walk. This past academic year (September – June), I worked, interned and volunteered at several places, ranging from schools to non-profits, to private companies and restaurants. Combined, I was working a total of 90 hours a week. Although it was a grueling schedule, it was completely worth it! I gained and developed several abilities such as organizational and time management skills, leadership, grant writing, advocacy and many more. Additionally, I made a lot of good friends and professional connections, which have proven to be crucial for my success in academia and in the “real” world.
Had I not done what I did this past academic year, I would certainly not have been able to use my colleagues as references for applying to graduate school, to which I have been accepted. Likewise, I would not have been able to land the jobs that I currently have, including my job as online community manager for Latinos in College. Last of all, I certainly would not have the luxury to not work full-time this summer and still make a living.
So, enjoy your summer, but make sure to make it a productive one. You never know how it could change your life!