Congratulations, you’ve made it through another semester. Whether you are a senior coming up on your last hoorah or a sophomore who has finally gotten the hang of things, your winter break is a much needed, much welcomed, few moments of rest.

Don’t sleep too much and miss out on your chance to get a jump on your summer 2017 plans.

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The best summer internships are found in the fall / winter.

By the spring of 2017, many of the best summer 2017 opportunities will have already been filled. How does a 3-4 month internship at Disney World next summer sound? Well, Disney stopped taking applications for summer 2017 internships in October.

There are many other worthwhile, awesome and valuable internships opportunities still up for grabs, I just want you to understand that you need to get moving on this process.

Even if you aren’t looking to intern for a big name company across the country, starting your internship search now and getting ahead can help you stay on top of it when things get busy again.

Why an Internship is Necessary

Companies now expect to see real internship experience on your resume before you graduate. Many employer’s are expecting to see multiple internships.

Launching your career after college isn’t just about your major, GPA and extra-curriculars, it is also about showing a company that you bring value, can learn fast and have been tested in the workforce. Internships give you that.

The internship experience isn’t just about the company, it is also about you. I did eight internships while in college. Each experience was different and valuable in it’s own way.

Internships allow you to test out the waters into different careers you may not have thought of, learn new things and see how your classroom experiences translate to the real world. In addition, on average, interns make about $15,000 more per year when starting out after college.

Finding an Internship

Your internship search doesn’t have to become stressful or overwhelming. Here are four simple steps to jump start your search and make it more productive.

  1. Visit career services on campus. Meet with a career advisor and let them know what type of internship you are looking for.
  2. Get your resume in order. If you don’t have a resume, then your time off will be well spent learning how to put a professional resume together.
  3. Start researching internships online and download my free Internship Manual Toolkit. The Toolkit is designed to keep you on track and organized in your search process.
  4. Begin researching companies that you are interested in interning for and learning about their application process. Continue your online research on sites like internships.comlooksharp.com, LinkedIn and others to find openings.

For more help, visit my blog, theinternshipmanual.com for articles on the internship search and starting your career after college. My book, The Internship Manual: A Step-by-Step Guide to Getting the Internship of Your Dreams is available on Amazon.

In addition to my own internship experiences, I spent five years managing a national internship program and oversaw the placement of over 400 interns with companies like HBO, AMC Networks, ESPN, CBS, Verizon, the NBA and many others. I walk you through the process from creating a resume to the interview to finding housing and more.

Get up, get out and and make your dream internship happen… then get some rest.