Your Ultimate Week One Checklist to Land the Perfect Summer Internship

Starting your search for a summer internship can feel overwhelming, but with a structured approach, you can set yourself up for success right from the beginning. Here’s a practical week one checklist to help you get organized and make meaningful progress.

1. Update Your Core Resume

• Add your GPA and honors from the fall semester to showcase your academic achievements.
• Include any new projects, leadership roles, or volunteer work you completed over the break to highlight your skills and experience.
• Save it as a PDF with a clear filename, such as FirstName_LastName_Resume_2026.pdf, to ensure it looks professional and is easy to share.

2. Visit the Career Services Website

• Check the calendar for the “Spring Career Fair” date and mark it in your phone to stay on top of important events.
• Look for “Drop-In” hours for quick resume reviews to get feedback and improve your application materials.
• Sign up for at least one networking event or internship workshop happening this month to expand your connections and gain insights.

3. Set Up Your Digital Search Engines

• Search and apply to internships on platforms like College Recruiter, where thousands of opportunities are advertised.
• Set up “Job Alerts” using keywords such as “Summer 2026 Internship” and your major on sites like Indeed, LinkedIn, and school-specific platforms like Handshake or Symplicity.
• Filter for your preferred locations—whether it’s home, campus, or international—to gauge the volume of available opportunities.

4. Finalize Your “Top 10” List

• Identify ten companies you would love to work for, even if they haven’t posted internship openings yet.
• Check their corporate “Careers” pages directly to see if their summer programs are live, as some opportunities may not be listed on job boards.

5. Book One Strategy Appointment

• Schedule a 30-minute meeting with a career advisor to get personalized guidance.
• Goal: Ask them specifically, “Which employers in my field have recruited from our school in the past three years?” This can help you target companies with a history of hiring from your institution.

6. Reach Out to One Alumnus

• Find one person on LinkedIn or through your school’s database who is working in your dream field.
• Send a short, three-sentence message asking for a brief “informational interview” about how they got their start. This can provide valuable insights and help you build your network.