I know you’re all still swamped with the work you neglected over spring break and don’t even want to think about the fact that exams are just around the corner. That’s why I hate to break it to you, but if you’re planning on sacrificing your summer for an internship this year,  the time to start searching, applying, and interviewing was yesterday. But don’t worry – you can still start now!

Whether you’ve already pledged to yourself that an internship will be beneficial to your eventual career, or this article only just now put the idea into your head, it can be difficult to know where to look. After all, if we are going to spend the summer working for little or no pay, we want the best damn internship out there, don’t we? As a bit of an intern connoisseur (I have five under my belt), I’d like to help steer you in the right direction.

1. Your school.

When employers are seeking smart, motivated interns, they often look to the local universities. Check in with your career center and see if any intern positions have been posted, or if a career counselor has gotten any requests for qualified applicants. While you’re there, a counselor can help you tighten up that resume so you really have an impact when you start sending it out.

Or, even better: see if anyone in your major department can help you out. You can usually earn college credit through an internship, so your professors have seen hundreds of students complete internships that often required a work-log or journal to prove that they were worthy of X credit hours. In fact, many departments now require an internship to complete the degree, so they have to be ready to point their students in the right direction. Personally, my English program had an internship elective, and one professor served as the internship coordinator. She gave me a list of potential employers, and then put in a good word for me after I’d chosen a company to pursue.

2. Friends and family

If you’ve got connections, use them! Is your cousin already successful in her own career field? Ask her if she knows anyone in the industry who is looking for interns. Is your dad’s best friend from high school the CEO of a Fortune-500? Ask if he can put in a good word. Our “elders” have all gone through some sort of struggle to succeed in their careers, and are always thrilled to see a young yet motivated individual.

Personal anecdote: My cousin is a graphic design major. I recently had a woman in my office (my superior, but not my boss) send out a mass email to the college students at work because her friend was looking for an intern who was experienced in web design. Knowing my cuz was looking for a summer gig that would allow her to build her portfolio, I immediately sent it on, and she soon got set up with an interview.

3. Cold-calling.

Make a list of companies that you would like to work for. Whether it’s a convenient, local company or a super-famous American icon (hey, even MTV needs interns!), write down their addresses and send out your resume. In your cover letter, express the fact that you would love to do an internship for them, but that if they don’t have anything available, you would appreciate an informal interview with one of their agents. This shows that you are serious about the company, and while many unsolicited resumes go unnoticed, you may actually get that informal interview- and that’s how you start networking for the future!

4. The internet.

Come on. What DON’T we go to the web for these days? Even if you’re doing the cold-calling mentioned above, you might find internship listings on the company websites while you are stalking their current HR person. Most companies do have sections for internship openings in their “Jobs” sections, and you might even find an online application form or specific job requirements and details.

If you don’t even know what types of COMPANIES to check out, there are plenty of searchable databases like internshipprograms.com, internships.com, and internzoo.com. Even Monster has an intern section, or you can dare to go abroad via InternAbroad.

(Personal note: for artsy students, especially in the realm of theater, check out the job listings on Playbill.com, because all of the performing arts internships for the summer are being posted, um…. now!)

So, if anyone has specific questions regarding your personal majors/career fields/job wishes… post them below! Your fellow CC’ers can share their own tips from past experiences!

This series is meant to provide advice for getting the most out of college, rather than just getting through it. So whether you're a freshman just starting out, or a senior on the job hunt, you've still got plenty of time to live it up (and do it right) as an undergrad.]

If there is one thing you should do before you graduate, it is to make friends with at least one of your professors.

For one thing, a professor has to be well established in his or her field, whether it’s philosophy or business, or something in between. If you get along really well with one of your professors, chances are they can connect you to a job or recommend you for an opportunity you might not have even heard about yet. You remember that old adage when it comes to getting a job, “it’s all about who you know”? Not many twentysomethings are chummy with CEOs or top magazine editors, but your professor might be. Besides, what if some day you do decide to go to law school? Imagine how hard it will be getting a recommendation letter from a professor you had years ago, especially when they see so many students in such a small window of time.

I know, I know, your school is so large you need to text your professor so he can answer your questions in lecture. Or maybe you’re thinking you just don’t know what to say. Valid excuses, but not good enough to get out of this one.

One way to go about establishing a good relationship with a professor is by checking out their curriculum vitae (most colleges and universities will have this information online); see if he/she has had any articles published recently that interest you and send them an email about it. Ask them if you can meet up during their office hours to talk about it (everyone loves talking about themselves!), or just let them know you’re having trouble deciding what to major in or what to do after college. If you don’t have the time to make it to office hours, try stopping by before or after class.

All in all, just try to make an impression upon them. They will remember you for being a curious and conscientious student, if nothing else. And the better your relationship with a professor, the better you’ll be apt to do in their class! You’ll find that you won’t want to let him or her down by being late or unprepared for lecture — just like you wouldn’t want to let a friend down by showing up late for an event.

Professors are really powerful people to have on your side. Knowing the cute football stud might get you a date for the weekend, but befriending a professor will be worth it years from now when you need a make-or-break recommendation, or a connection to that dream job.

Come back to find out about my next college must-do: Get To Know Your College Town Beyond The Pub Crawl

Yeah, I’m talking about the Real World.

I’m far from a career counselor, but I have picked up a lot of helpful tips along the way. Since it’s sometimes hard to know where to start when looking for a job or internship, let me offer a few things that I know to be helpful:

• Work those connections. Connections, connections, connections. Have I made my point clear yet? CONNECTIONS! If you know somebody whose friend knows somebody whose brother knows somebody… well, what are you waiting for?! There’s only two degrees of separation between you and that person, and nobody else is going to do the legwork for you. It’s an unfortunate fact of life that a ton of industries are based on connections, and at some places it can be impossible to get your foot in the door unless you physically plant it there. Talk to people, ask questions, and be proactive. Networking is far more important than you think.

• Be professional. This seems like a no-brainer, right? I mean, everyone knows you don’t show up for a job interview in faded jeans and a crop top. But being professional goes far beyond the obvious—you’ll be a cut above the rest if you show up a few minutes early, take notes, seek out information by yourself, and send thank-you’s. Being professional also means being prepared—anticipate questions before they’re asked and think about your answers, follow up promptly, and bring examples or evidence of things that show you’re cut out for the opportunity.

• Don’t rule anything out. If your dream job is to be a fashion designer but instead you have a chance to be a retail clerk at Old Navy, just pause before you scream, “NO!” You gotta start somewhere, and often it’s not exactly where you dreamed it might be. If you can at least land a job or internship in your preferred industry, it will give you an opportunity to meet others who like the same things you like, and some of those people might know other people, and suddenly your odds of getting out of Old Navy after a year or so and landing an internship in a Marc Jacobs boutique are skyrocketing. Keep an open mind, and you’ll go far.

Those are three nuggets of wisdom that have worked especially well for me, but I know there are tons of others. CC girls, what’s worked well for you? Got any special tips you want to share with the group?