We may be caught in the grips of winter, but it is time to plan ahead for the sunny days to come. For some of us, summer may entail returning to that summer job or even facing the daunting task of applying for one. For a refreshing change of pace, make this summer the best one yet by applying for an internship.

This prompts the question: When is the best time to start looking for an internship?

“All of the hard-core applying and interviewing happens in the period between winter and spring break,” said Ali Barlow, assistant director of the Student Engagement Center.

There are several steps to applying for an internship. The best resource for perfecting a resume or finding an internship is our very own Student Engagement Center. Just take the trek up the stairs in Reid and the friendly staff will be glad to guide you toward the future of your dreams.

The following four steps will help illuminate the path to the perfect summer internship.

1. Scout it out

“The web is a great resource: our site is a great place to start,” said Barlow.

The Student Engagement Center has purchased memberships for Whitman students to National Internships Consortium and www.internships.com. See the Student Engagement Center Web site for information and instructions on using these databases as well as other links to internship sites.

Barlow recommends www.idealist.org, a database of 93,000 nonprofits across the globe, which offers volunteer opportunities or jobs in every imaginable field.

“Often, students are overwhelmed by the availability of information,” said Barlow.

2. Network

“It’s valuable to spend half an hour each day making networking connections. Write emails, make phone calls, do research,” said Barlow.

The first step in networking, said Barlow, may be asking family friends and professors if they know of any internship opportunities.

“In general, I think just having conversations with Whitman professors about personal and academic interests is a good way to find out about opportunities that one, as a student, might not be aware of,” said senior English major Christine Texeira. Texeira and senior Mimi Cook interned this past summer with Assistant Professor of English Scott Elliott.

In order to obtain an internship, it is important to invest in a relationship with your networking contact. Have coffee with that person. Get to know them on a personal level. An internship is often a huge time investment for an employer, said Barlow, so the student must be convincing and committed to the company or professor.

Lacking in network connections? Take a stroll down to the Student Engagement Center, where there is a database of 1,500 Whitman alums who  can  help connect students to organizations that offer  internships.

“We get emails from them all the time asking, ‘Why hasn’t anyone contacted me?'” said Barlow.

3. Make sure your resume and cover letter is up to date

Think of a resume as a self-advertisement. You can be your own best promoter by purging all grammatical errors and providing information that represents your skill set. For example, if you worked at Starbucks, instead of writing, “I learned how to make coffee,” write, “I learned how to be efficient, manage money and communicate with a variety of different people when I worked at Starbucks.”

The Student Engagement Center website offers a PowerPoint with tips on how to format a cover letter as well as a resume. Barlow encourages all students who need a few pointers on their resume to stop by for a conversation; this can often help to flush out various skills that you never knew you had.

4. Apply early and often

“If you find a job that you’re not sure that you’re qualified for or would completely love, just apply,” said Barlow.

There is no rule of averages regarding how many internships to which you should apply. Keep researching for unique opportunities until you get an internship.

Additionally, apply early. Start perfecting your resume and researching opportunities during winter break. Apply in January and February and during spring break interview and confirm your internship.

­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­ ­Problems?

If you’re not qualified for an opportunity: Often this is the case for underclassmen with little or no experience in their field of interest. A good recommendation is to take a volunteer job or work at a summer camp for to gain work experience toward your dream internship. Be patient; work towards your future in small steps.

If you can’t afford to stop working for a summer in order to take on an internship: Some internships are paid while some reward in experience. Whitman offers an internship grant, which funds 24 students every year to do a 10-week unpaid internship in the area of their major. Although the grant process is highly competitive, students are encouraged to apply. The deadline for applicants is March 31. See the Student Engagement Center for more information.

Although the road to finding that perfect internship may seem long and winding, the rewards are worth the effort.

“One thing that makes Whitman students so great is that they go out and enhance what they learn in class with an internship,” said Barlow.