5 Ways To Find A High School Internship That Employers And Universities Value
As college admissions grow increasingly competitive, particularly for scholarships, having a high school internship on your resume can be a huge advantage. It’s also a great way to start figuring out what you want to major in once you get to college and subsequently, what you want to do for a career.
In this post, we’re outlining 5 ways to help you find internships in high school that future employers and universities value.
1. Ask Your Teachers/Administration
While it would be ideal to have a paid role, if you are willing to volunteer your time, your high school will nearly always have a project or need for an extra pair of hands. For example, if you’re interested in technology, see if your high school staff need help over the summer reimaging laptops, updating software, cleaning machines in the classroom etc.
All of these experiences are tasks that college level interns would undertake and will ultimately help you in starting off your career. Don’t be afraid to ask for an opportunity, you might be surprised by how much you can learn!
2. Check Your Local Library
Local libraries are the community’s university. From job training programs to lectures to work spaces, they fill a significant role in local communities. They also are a huge connector for employment opportunities too.
From paid roles to volunteer roles, check with your local libraries and see what kind of opportunities they offer. Particularly in the summer when programming needs are high, this could be a great chance to get some professional experience and build your network.
Say for example you are working in a summer reading camp for small children. Be sure to get to know the parents of your kids because they might very well have connections to industry based roles that align with your interests or longer-term roles. This is the power of networking!
3. Search Online
There are actually a decent amount of high school specific internship programs in corporate America. Some companies like Procter and Gamble even have dedicated web pages just for highschool or student internships. All you need to do is type in the company + the word “student” or “intern” or “internship” into a search engine and see what comes up. Most qualifications for high school internships are 1) be in high school and 2) a certain GPA so search far and wide and see what strikes your interest.
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4. Alumni
If you haven’t done much on LinkedIn, now might be a good time to create a profile and start networking with alumni. If you went to a smaller school, you can often ask your administration for an alumni list of names and then look them up on LinkedIn to connect directly. Here’s what you might say when you connect:
“Hi, I’m Hailee and I go to South Pacific High School. I got your name from the alumni website and wanted to see if you’d be willing to have a quick Zoom call with me to talk about your college experience and career. I’m interested in social media/marketing for a career and I think your experience would be a huge learning opportunity for me. Thanks in advance for your time!”
Once you get the networking conversation or Zoom call locked in, see if they have any internship opportunities they can connect you with or perhaps they can connect you to HR to see what other roles are out there. The key to good networking is to be as authentic and creative as possible with your outreach. Be sure to ask for referrals (both roles and more people to network with) too.
5. Create Your Own!
What are some skills and abilities you already have that someone might want to pay you money for? Think social media managements, answering phones, making copies, creating graphics, data entry, stuffing mailers, anything! Create a list of things you can do and approach businesses that might be interested in what you can offer.
For example, maybe one of your parent’s friends owns a tool restoration company but you notice they have no Instagram presence. Go to them and pitch them on the idea of getting on Instagram and say you’d be willing to create content for them, take pictures of the tools, tell their story online and get followers. This would equal business and profit, which is never a bad thing!
Why Universities and Employers Value High School Internships?
At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter so much what you did in your internship but rather, what you learned and how you can relate that to future employment opportunities or academic success. Universities and employers love seeing that students proactively put themselves out there to get a job, developed professional skills, social skills and were teachable and coachable in their roles.
These are the same attributes universities and employers value when they are assessing candidate fit or admissions into school.
Having professional work experience in high school helps with your personal growth and getting high level internships in college and eventually all your work experience puts you in the best position for success in your full-time career. So consider your high school internships just as important as clubs, activities, sports and grades as they can be a boost to your resume for college and career!
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Meet The Writer!
Hi! My name is Nadia Ibrahim-Taney and I help people design happy and fulfilling careers through authentic career coaching. My expertise includes career exploration guidance, resume writing, interview prep and LinkedIn profile optimization. My pronouns are She/ Her/ Hers and as a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I focus on how diverse identities impact and influence folks holistically and professionally. Please connect with me on LinkedIn or at Nadia@beyonddiscoverycoaching.com
