Many students are stressed about finding internships so here’s some easy advice on alternatives.

Per the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), slightly more than 60 percent of students who graduated in 2023 participated in an internship during college. Meanwhile, Gallup reported in 2023 that approximately 41 percent of college students have had an internship while pursuing their bachelor’s degree. It’s excellent to see that so many students are gaining workforce exposure about their intended careers. Depending on where you source your information, internships, in some cases date back to the Middle Ages. As for yours truly, I got what they coined in a bygone era “A summer job!”

Here as some suggestions and alternatives to scoring an internship. If you can find some work in your field of interest, excellent and if not, try to get as close as possible. Like me, maybe a summer job could fit the bill. Also investigate part-time work, volunteering, shadowing and temp gigs. Also, learn about the occupations you desire by reading about them via books, industry trade publications and articles. Carve out some time to talk with experienced professionals in the occupations/industries that interest you. Attend a tradeshow in a field of interest. Search for a legitimate social media platform in the industry of your desire. There are so many ways and angles to learn about occupations and the best will always be to either work in the industry or to speak with professionals in that industry that have toiled 10+ years. Then post on LinkedIn to show potential hiring managers what you have done to research the industry.

Per Google: Top temporary staffing firms in 2026 include global leaders like Randstad, Adecco, and ManpowerGroup, alongside specialized firms such as Robert Half (finance/admin) and Aerotek (industrial/engineering).

Also, subscribe to my YouTube Channel. It has 140 Career Readiness videos on subjects such as networking, soft/durable skills, shadowing, LinkedIn and more.

Good luck!