Resource Center

For teens looking for jobs, a summer internship (or any type of internship) is a great way to earn some money and gain the skills that will help you develop the professional talents you’ll need in your future careers.

Most internships don’t pay exceptionally well (some don’t pay at all), so don’t expect to make a lot of money. Be realistic, and understand that there are many other benefits to finding an internship other than cold hard cash.

Besides allowing you to develop your talents for a future career, an internship can also give you an idea of what life will be like once you’re done school. You’ll learn skills that you’ll be able to use in the real world, both in your professional and personal lives. These skills can be something as simple as learning how to deal with people and providing outstanding customer service, to learning how to manage your time effectively, to learning how to work with or under a boss.

Plus the self-confidence you’ll gain from the knowledge that you can do something well is a benefit that’s hard to put a price on.

Finding an internship for teens can sometimes be very challenging because there are a lot of teens looking for jobs, and not always enough jobs. If you plan to look for a specific type of internship, start early. The earlier you start looking, the more likely you’ll find what you want, beat your competition, and get the internship or job that you want.

To help you figure out what type of job you might be interested in will make finding an internship you like much easier. Consider making a list of all your strengths and likes. Don’t forget to also make a list of your weaknesses. Everyone has weaknesses, and by knowing and facing yours, you’ll be better prepared to deal with the challenges your internship might bring.

Once you’ve made a list of your strengths and weakness (Doing this on a piece of loose-leaf is good enough.), prepare yourself to compile another list. You’ll need to make a list of what your long-term goals are. Do you want to work with animals? If you do, then getting an internship at your local humane society will help you fill your long-term goals.

Consider your long-term goals carefully. You want to make sure that the time you spend searching for the perfect internship for you won’t be a waste. And you want to be assured that the time spent working in the temporary job will also benefit you in the long run.

Once you’ve done this, take a look at your three lists. (You should have a list for your strengths, weaknesses, and long-term goals.) Carefully consider what you wrote down. Then think of the types of jobs you’d like to work as an intern in. Make a list of those jobs, keeping the jobs realistic. For example, if your future goal is to become a nurse, you’ll never get an internship as a nurse unless you’ve finished the required training. You might, however, be able to get an internship that allows you to entertain sick children. This way you’ll get a chance to work in hospital setting, and learn how a hospital runs. It may not be your perfect job, but it’s a stepping stone to the job that you would like.

Your next step to finding an internship once you’ve narrowed down what you want is to write a resume outlining your skills.

Then look in the newspapers and keep your eyes open for the type of internship that you want.