While it is ideal to start your search for a summer internship in the fall or winter, it's never too late to apply!  Many deadlines may have passed, but there are still opportunities up for grabs.  There are always companies that don't realize they need an intern until May or June.  We cultivated a list of External Job Boards that may be useful in your search.
 
Another option is to participate in a micro-internship.  Micro-internships offer students the opportunity to complete paid, professional projects, in a consulting or contractor role.  Learn more at Micro-Internships with Parker Dewey.
 

What Will You do This Summer?

Listed below are some suggestions for what to do this summer if your internship was rescinded or if you were unable to find one during these difficult times.  Some of these suggestions revolve around career development, personal development, or community service and we hope that some might even be considered fun.  We also recommend that you list these experiences (as well as any rescinded offers) on your resume. 

Keep in mind while doing any of these projects: 

  • What are you learning?
  • How are you demonstrating leadership, initiative, creativity, critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, communication skills, the ability to explain complex concepts, etc
  • How will you articulate these skills to an employer? 
  • How will you add these experiences to your resume?

Career Development Workshops & Resources

Participate in one of Engineering Career Services's many Career Development Workshops.
 

Interview Prep
How would you respond to the list of interview questions in this handout?   What examples would you give?  

Mock Interviews
After attending one of our interview workshops, request to have a mock interview with a staff member by completing the Mock Interview Request Form.

Interviewing.com
Record yourself answering questions during a virtual mock interview using Interviewing.com .

Interview a Terp Alum
Whether you call it an informational interview or a “curious conversation” knowing more about your industry can make you a better applicant.  We have many alums with profiles on Terrapins Connect, who would be happy to speak with you.  But before you do, check out our Informational Interview Handout to learn how to make the most of these interactions.

Clifton Strengths Assessment
Did you take the Clifton Strengths Assessment during ClarkLead last year?  Think about how you use your top 5 strengths in your life.  Come up with examples from class projects or work experience.  Need help?  Make an appointment with someone in our office. 

Practice Case Interviews
There are several great case interview practice sites including:

LinkedIn Learning Topics for the Job Seeker

LinkedIn Learning, provides free online courses in a variety of technical and behavioral skills that can enhance your resume and round out your skillset. It is free for all University of Maryland students when you log in with your @umd.edu email address (your @terpmail account will not work).

Find information on how to set up a LinkedIn profile and tips for making professional connections through the platform on our Job Search Handouts page, under the Networking & the Hidden Job Market tab.

ENES Courses
  • Mechanics I, and Mechanics II (ENES 102 & 220)
  • Dynamics (ENES 221)
  • Thermodynamics (ENES 232)
  • Engineering for Us All (ENES 192)

Course descriptions can be found at https://eng.umd.edu/keystone/courses.

Global Leadership (And why not add a Leadership Minor?)
  • Leadership in Times of Crisis: Pandemics, Disasters, and Humanitarian Crises (ENES475/675)
  • International Business Cultures (ENES472, GenEd DVCC)
  • Introduction to Engineering Leadership (ENES317, GenEd DSSP)

Course descriptions can be found at https://eng.umd.edu/global/leadership-courses.

Fast Forward Your Degree
Talk to your academic advisor to see if you can reasonably complete 9-12 credits this summer, that would free up a semester to 1) graduate early, 2) complete a co-op semester, or 3) spend a semester abroad.

LinkedIn Learning Skill Development

LinkedIn Learning, provides free online courses in a variety of technical and behavioral skills that can enhance your resume and round out your skillset. It is free for all current University of Maryland students when you log in with your @umd.edu address. (Logging in with your @terpmail account will not work.)  If you connect your LinkedIn account to LinkedIn Learning (through your settings), then you can add a badge to your LinkedIn account to prove that you finished it. 

When should I use LinkedIn Learning?

LinkedIn Learning is a great tool to use over your breaks to continue developing and practicing technical skills.  If you are interested in jobs that seek a technical skill that you need, you can use LinkedIn Learning at any point to develop that skill so you can add it to your resume.  If you have an interview coming up, there are a variety of courses directed toward practicing technical and behavioral interview skills.

What LinkedIn Learning courses should I take?

Below, we have a list of recommended courses for different engineering majors. Of course, you know yourself best and can take whatever classes suit your needs.

Aerospace Engineering
Bioengineering
Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering
Civil Engineering
Computer Science and Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Environmental Engineering
Fire Protection Engineering
Materials Science and Engineering
Mechanical Engineering

Additional Options for Learning a Programming Language

Every employer expects engineering students to have some proficiency with programming and there are many online resources to teach yourself some basic programming.  Here are just a few examples:

RePicture STEM Exploration Course
RePicture.com is a virtual community where people can learn about STEM projects helping people across the world. The RePicture STEM Summer Program allows you to explore career opportunities, improve skills valued by employers, compete in contests, and grow your network and be part of the STEM community.

K-12 Videos
Make a video demonstrating a basic hands-on engineering activity/experiment that kids can do at home.  Explain the concept/theory in very simple terms.

  • Example: Talk about aerodynamics. Why are aerodynamics important and how do engineers use aerodynamics?  Teach kids how to build paper airplanes.  Test different airplane shapes to illustrate aerodynamics.
  • Upload the video to your LinkedIn page and send us the link.  If we receive enough, we can start our own YouTube channel that our K-12 programs can use.
  • Get more ideas from:

The STEM Laboratory
Kindergarten Connection - Engineering Activities
Teach Engineering
Plus hundreds more!

Home Projects
Are you a car, computer, home, or appliance "fix-it" enthusiast?  Take time-lapse photographs of a repair or a rebuild and post it on your LinkedIn profile.   

Help your community during this crisis.  Opportunities exist at the national and local level:

Volunteer with Fellow Terps
Join the Engineers without Borders or Terps for Change to collaborate with fellow students and make a difference.
 

Start a Food Drive
Collect food donations in your neighborhood and bring them to a food bank.  Or, join UMD's Campus Pantry to distribute emergency food to Terps in need.

Conversation Exchange
Connect with members of the campus and experience cultural exchange through English Conversation Partners at the University of Maryland.
 
Kindling Curiosity Instructors
Kindling Curiosity is a high school student-run group that aims to provide free one-hour lectures and Q&A sessions via Zoom to elementary school students and middle school students who are interested in learning topics in various subjects such as mathematics, computer science, debate and English.  If you think you might want to be an instructor, complete this form, Kindling Curiosity - Join Us or email contact@kindlingcuriosity.org if you have questions.
 
AmeriCorps VISTA
Consider joining the AmeriCorps VISTA program as a Summer Associate and serve a community in need.  AmeriCorps VISTA is the only AmeriCorps program that allows members to earn federal non-competitive eligibility, giving members an edge in the federal hiring process.

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