<p>First year IE major and no job for the summer. I am working on applying to every place I know. I had hoped for an internship but turns out first year students have little to no chance unless they know someone, which I don't. Also looking at jobs like waitering etc., but if you are only planning on working for the summer and leaving in the fall to go back to college they don't want to hire you. </p>
<p>Any ideas would be helpful. Summer break for me is 4 months - which is a long time to do nothing.</p>
<p>I’m in your boat. Too early for internships, but I kinda can’t work this summer because I have no transportation. Got about 4.5 grand saved up. Well have a car come fall when money is dispersed again. I’m taking the summer to get a head start on what I’ll be covering during my fall semester.</p>
<p>Here’s what I’d do. Don’t tell them anything about it being a summer job only unless they ask - they may not. Otherwise, just pretend like you’re interested in finding a good job to keep indefinitely (until you graduate). If you quit later, just say it’s conflicting with your college schedule. Let them know you’ll be returning to school in the fall, but don’t necessarily say you’re FOR SURE quitting at that point.</p>
<p>Some places may only need summer help, others may be wanting a long term worker.</p>
<p>NEVER pull this type of misleading thing with a career, but I personally wouldn’t feel that guilty about misleading the local McDonald’s manager of I desperately needed a job. It’s not like he’d find it that difficult to replace you.</p>
<p>Oh, and yes. Apply everywhere. Make a list. I found that if I made a list of 20 places and applied, I’d for sure get a call.</p>
<p>Internships in engineering are generally only available to those who have completed their junior year. Most companies (like the one I worked for) use internships as just one big job interview and so they really want to see what you can do. Until you finish that junior year, you don’t typically have the background/classes to do much of anything usefull at an engineering company.</p>
<p>See if your college has an undergraduate research program. You may be able to get involved in some research over the summer. It would, obviously, mean that you would have to remain around school over the summer. Many apartments are on one year leases and are empty over the summer. You may be able to get a sublease real cheap. It would make you more attractive to internship programs later. </p>
<p>My son worked for a professor (unpaid even) over the summer. Turned out that he got the exact experience that summer that they were looking for at his first job. Best use of the summer for him.</p>
<p>BTW, many companies figure out the “only going to work over the summer” thing even though you state you want to work “full time”. Hard to fool them as others have already pulled that trick before and they wise up to it real fast.</p>
<p>Check your career services. Are you going home for the summer? Are you staying near the school? There are summer jobs available such as lab assistants and such on campus you can apply to as well. Some schools give discounts to summer housing.</p>