Students Unite ! College internship.. Vol. Catch 22 We want experience for you to gain experience

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LET THIS THREAD BE A PLACE FOR THOSE WHO NEED SOME COLLEGE INTERNSHIP ADVICE

Alright, so I'm a senior level communication student who enter college with the desire to work in marketing. I'll have 102 credits by the end of the summer. I tried to find an internship this summer and it didn't work out. The one interview I went on I was suited for success and prepared for a "real interview". It was an marketing agency so everything was super informal, i'm talking there was a dog in the room and dude was shooting the breeze instead of getting to the point. I thought I had the opp, but I feel like they hired some chick from they mentioned from Penn State who already had experience from some school program.  

Quick backstory, I have two years of professional credit sales experience in the finance industry. I got that job out of necessity, in order to survive as a young man on my own. Back to the topic, I left that job for an internship and now I'm limbo. 

To those with college experience how should I handle this situation?

- Should I work on gaining some skills via certfications ?i.e. - html, dreamweaver, google analytics etc.

- Should I still keep pushing for internship at this point?

- Should I say F undergrad and try to get internship in grad school ( I plan on going, either an mba or something in health care as plan b)

It's weird that a chick I used to date at my old job a( huge mistake dating at work ; dont do it) has like two years marketing intern experience and she was stuck at that job with me. That alone makes me want to say screw the corporate world and persue another avenue. 
 
Wouldn't have gotten my internship if it wasn't for networking.

It's usually who you know over what you know.
 
There are a lot of variables that you personally need to come to terms with. Is marketing truly what you're passionate about? How are your current finances? Living situation? Can you afford to skip a job and get an internship only? Can you balance both? How about classes? Extra-curriculars?

I received my first internship thanks to my leadership positions on campus and one thing led to another. I hopped from non-profit, to a senator's office, to a medical school. I believe that the experience I earned from my internships put me in the best position post-undergrad. I have letters of recommendations on deck and a vast network to plunge into at any point. I still worked all four years, but at most 20 hours a week since I had the privilege to live at home with family ( i commuted to school everyday sans my first year).

If anything, i hoped you joined some soft of marketing club on your campus. It can be the easiest way to connect with alumni who are doing the work you are trying to pursue.
 
Talk to your advisor, if yo have a good one, they'll have some info for you. Also, hit up the networking events and career days on campus
 
Damn, you're a Communications major and want to do Marketing? You got your work cut out for you, fam.

1.) Don't get your MBA immediately after undergrad.

2.) Network, network, network. I don't mean just going to networking events either. Reach out to people on Linkedin, at school, etc.

3.) What do you want to do career-wise? It sounds like you don't have a strong idea. I hope you're not a senior in college.
 
Communications major
Interested in marketing
Senior
Looking for internship


I've got some bad news OP.
 
I previously declared a major in business,  but changed majors as I saw it as pointless to take those classes, only to take the same classes over in graduate school. I knew I wanted to go to graduate school the whole time.  I soon learned that career experience and connections are more important than degrees, which is why getting an internship is so crucial. I didn't learn that until junior year, so my plan changed as I learned.  I didn't really know about  the business world until actually getting experience.

Hell, I don't even know if I really like marketing since I actually haven't had exposure to it. 
 
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