Comment Re:Avoid (Score 2, Insightful) 273
If its between lifeguarding and taking a crappy job in your field, I'd take the crappy job in your field.
I think that this is the biggest problem with how students select a summer internship.
The greatest aspect of a summer internship is that it's temporary. For three months you get great exposure to a field, with absolutely no strings attached. And so why not do something different from what you do day-in-and-day-out at school?
You don't need to do something as extreme as becoming a life guard. But if you're studying electrical engineering, see if you can get a position focusing on computer science. Maybe try out a consulting company. Focus on something that will enrich you -- not because it makes your resume stronger, but because it exposes you to what you typically don't see in class.
If you like it, fantastic. You've found something new that interests you, and if you choose, you can guide yourself towards that field. If you hate it, who cares? In three months it's over. At least you tried something new.
I think that this is the biggest problem with how students select a summer internship.
The greatest aspect of a summer internship is that it's temporary. For three months you get great exposure to a field, with absolutely no strings attached. And so why not do something different from what you do day-in-and-day-out at school?
You don't need to do something as extreme as becoming a life guard. But if you're studying electrical engineering, see if you can get a position focusing on computer science. Maybe try out a consulting company. Focus on something that will enrich you -- not because it makes your resume stronger, but because it exposes you to what you typically don't see in class.
If you like it, fantastic. You've found something new that interests you, and if you choose, you can guide yourself towards that field. If you hate it, who cares? In three months it's over. At least you tried something new.
