As I’ve been browsing college confidential (especially the Chance Me threads) I’ve seen a lot of people get official internships at companies or universities (i.e Harvard, Stanford.
I’ve been looking for internships on the common sites (e.g Chegg Internships, Simply Hired, etc) as well as university and company websites but can’t find any for high schoolers (10th or 11th grade). The only ones are for undergrad/grad students.
I am hoping someone can suggest internships below, hopefully ones relating to business (marketing/finance), medical/biotech ones (genetics would be amazing) or political science.
Any tips/recommendations on how to get one? Links to internships would be super helpful as well!
I’m sure 98% of those “internships” are through personal connections and are more of a shadowing opportunity with a family friend or relative. Are you interested in an internship because you think it’s an enjoyable way to spend a summer? Or are you interested because you think it would help you get into college? Because you don’t need it to get into college. Admissions officers know that these types of internships (with the exception of very few) just reflect socioeconomic status and not intelligence or ambition.
That said, there are some HS internships to help expose URM high school students to various types of careers. But they are very specific and rare. If you live in NYC, here’s one source:
https://www.futuresandoptions.org/fao/fao/media/jpmorgan-chase/
The New York Times has a summer academy for HS students, but you have to pay for it. I think financial aid might be available.
https://nytedu.com/pre-college/summer-academy/nyc/
I also think that many internships are made -up types of opportunities that well- networked parents provide for each other’s kids.
I think a regular teenage job would be more impressive. But the opportunities for job shadowing are useful- I decided what career I didn’t want that way. I think asking around your community for volunteering options would be more fruitful than going around seeking “internships.”
I really want to get an internship to explore possible careers and because I think it would honestly be pretty fun! I’m not sure what career I want to go into yet and I feel like getting an internship would be a great way to start sorting through them and explore.
That is true but I’ve seen people have internships with Harvard Medical School or Stanford! And I’ve asked around my community but there’s not much I can do with COVID and I don’t know anybody involved with marketing or political science which I was hoping to explore.
I want to encourage you! My rising senior has an internship this summer with the public defender’s office in our region. Yes, in Covid times. The office is nearly empty as the employees are rotating through and everyone is masked per state mandate so it worked out for her! She had applied to many camps and several summer things and all of those fell through; the PD office worked out last minute in June.
It did not come through parental connections, but her own connections. She has loved Mock Trial at her high school and has been very involved since her 10th grade year when she transferred to her current high school. Her coaches (lawyers and local judges) have loved her hard work and investment of time for her team. When she asked very nicely in May of this year if any of her coaches could help her find something for summer, a couple of them really jumped on it.
She did give them a professional cover letter and resume - which they could then share with prospective entities. Keep at it. Build relationships with the mentors at your high school and always do your best work and then don’t hesitate to ask for their help when you need it. Most are happy and willing to go to bat for the kids who step up and go the extra mile. It is not always about special connections, but yes, about relationships and networking, as well as putting your info together professionally to present to a company. Good luck!
DD’s teachers often talk about internship opportunities for upperclassmen based on their connections. Often guidance offices have a bulletin board or web page where they post opportunities too. Also, “Career Night” at her high school is successfully used by particularly motivated students to find opportunities (show up with a resume). I mention these as possibilities for future high school intern hopefuls. Unfortunately the pandemic put a stop to many of these for this summer, including the one my daughter was trying for.
Thanks so much! I’m looking for an entry level position as I unfortunately have little prior work experience as I attended a private school and had no time to work a job. I was hoping to find internships for next summer (rising junior) or quick, last minute summer internships for this one! My school doesn’t really have guidance counselors and my advisor couldn’t find internships for my age group (rising sophomore).
You can always seek out CPA’s in your region or CFP’s with your resume and offer to do office work for them and/or run errands for them - post office and such. As for genetics reach out to ASHG (genetics) and ask for a contact in your region regarding career/education info and possible contacts. If you are not yet 16, lab work might be challenging to come by. If poly sc,i I would reach out to my local govt. entities - even if county - and ask for an internship for the remainder of summer and be willing to continue to offer some intern hours into the fall - that might make you a more welcome applicant since it does take time to train someone.
Thank you! I will reach out to all of these people. I’m not yet 16 and lab work/research is my main interest in genetics but perhaps I can ask for training beforehand and actually start working at 16.