Ideas to Boost your Resume this Summer

June is quickly approaching, heralding the glorious beginning of summer vacation. As you recharge, soak up the sun, and spend time with your loved ones, don’t forget to set aside time for productive summer activities like volunteering, internships, research projects, and independent projects. Not sure how to get started? We’ve got you covered! This week we will go over Volunteering and Internships. Next week we will discuss personal and research projects and more.

Volunteering

Summer is a great time for students to gain some volunteering experience. Berkeley2 Academy recommends that students aim to have a total of 150 hours by the time they apply to college. This means that students should be engaged in 1-2 hours of volunteering per week during the school year, which is about 50 hours per year. Students can further set themselves apart by pursuing unique and meaningful opportunities. If there isn’t one around, create it yourself!

Where to begin:

Look online for opportunities! Websites like volunteermatch.org and do512.com are great resources. Volunteermatch allows users to filter opportunities by location, skills, virtual or in-person, and cause. Do512, which is specific to Austin, provides a comprehensive list of local opportunities organized by causes. Even the City of Austin website has a volunteering page!

Gain volunteering experience in the field that you’re interested in. If you’re a student who is considering a specific career, then what better way to learn and show your interest than by seeking hands-on experience? For example, if you’re planning on pursuing pre-med, volunteering at a hospital, nursing home, or hospice is a great way to get some direct interaction with patients.

Create your own experiences. Don’t see what you’re looking for? Think outside the box! Is there an issue in your community that needs to be addressed? Well, you can help. For example, if your neighborhood park is filled with litter, you can organize a park clean-up with your friends, family, and neighbors. Want to practice your photography? Reach out to local business owners to offer your services. Perhaps your beautifully framed shot of the store on the website is all that they need to attract more customers.

Internships

Internships are a great way to gain hands-on professional experience. Not only do you polish your skills, but you get the opportunity to network, grow your confidence, and explore your career goals by spending time in the everyday work environment of that field.

Where to begin:

Again, look online for opportunities! Job search websites like Ziprecruiter and Indeed are fantastic resources. There are a few ways that you can search. Use the search bar to find results for “high school internship.” Make sure you further filter by location and carefully read through requirements from the individual posts to see if you qualify. Additionally, you can simply toggle the Job Type drop-down menu to “Internships,” if available.

Ask around. First, make sure to talk to your guidance counselor and teachers. They will likely be able to provide you with additional resources and tips. Use your network as much as you can. Does your uncle work in a lab? Ask if there are internships, if he can recommend you, or if there is flexibility to create an internship tailored to your interests. All of your friends are probably in the same predicament as you. Ask them to share any opportunities that they find and what resources they’re using.

Reach out to organizations. If you have a specific place in mind where you want to intern, don’t be afraid to email or call them even if there isn’t an internship listing. Explain your interest and humbly ask if there are any opportunities for you. Go the extra mile by explaining how you could benefit them as an intern.