I’m a second year CS student at UMD. I was sick on orientation day with a bad sore throat so I didn’t make good impressions. So far I’ve only received rejections out of the replies I’ve gotten. What’s the best thing I can do right now if I want to secure a paid internship in the summer?
Apply online (Indeed, Monster, etc.) and, if your university has its own job board, apply there too. There is also probably another career fair in the spring.
Is the spring fair or fall fair easier to get job at?
Many summer internships can be filled by December/January, so the earlier the better when it comes to applying.
Look at LinkedIn, too- Make sure your page is up-to-date.
What @Gumbymom said: get your skates on looking online, through the university career center, with your advisor, on your department notices, etc.
Fwiw, I’m not sure why a sore throat would be the reason you haven’t gotten offers. Paid undergrad internships are competitive, but CS internships don’t tend to be highly focused on social skills. More likely it’s as simple as you are a second year (more interesting than a first year, but not as interesting as a third year.).
So, you just have to keep hustling. Have you thoroughly checked the REU website?
I found one at CSRA!