16 Things You Can Do to Maximize Your Summer if Your Internship is Canceled Due to Covid-19


Inevitably some UGA students will be unable to complete summer internships due to employers having a lack of demand for their product or service, concern for the health of the student and their current employees, and the position requiring the employee to work in-person.

With that said, there are plenty of things you can do to maximize your summer and make your resume more competitive.

16 Things You Can Do to Maximize Your Summer if Your Internship is Canceled Due to Covid-19

  1. Explore the option of working remotely. Many companies are working from home in light of the coronavirus and it could be possible for you to do the same as an intern.
  2. Expand your network and learn more about your desired industry through informational interviews. What’s an informational interview? View page 24 of our Career Guide to learn more.
  3. Join the UGA Mentor Program.
  4. Discover free courses on Coursera.
  5. Develop a new skill on LinkedIn Learning – free for UGA students.
  6. Update your LinkedIn account. Get started with this LinkedIn Profile Checklist.
  7. Obtain a certification in something relevant to your area of interest. For example, a student majoring in marketing or sales might consider obtaining a HubSpot Academy Certification.
  8. Create a website or digital portfolio. Think about which portfolio website might be the best fit for you.
  9. Practice interviewing skills. Gain free virtual interview practice through UGA Big Interview.
  10. Talk with your academic advisor about taking summer classes to continue progress on your degree.
  11. Learn a second language.
  12. Consider gap year options.
  13. Connect with community organizations and small businesses to see if they have any projects that would be helpful during this time and consider volunteering your time while building your skills.
  14. Complete an independent project. Here’s a few ideas to get started: collect and analyze data and develop a report, code your own website or game, or develop a fictitious business and explain your process and strategy.
  15. Consider part-time work. Essential businesses such as grocery stores and delivery services might be hiring under the current circumstances. 
  16. Meet with your Career Consultant to explore additional options and ideas based on your major and career interests.

Below is a sample of how you can include some of the above independent work and projects on your resume.


INDEPENDENT STUDY & PROJECTS*                                                                                                           Summer 2020

Specialized Training

  • Completed Java Basics and HTML intermediate courses through LinkedIn Learning
  • Obtained HubSpot CMS for Developers Certification
  • Developed a website to compile sample work here: www.samplewebsite.com

Career Development

  • Conducted 5 informational interviews with media industry experts to learn more about SEO, Google Ad Words and topics relevant to the field
  • Joined the UGA Mentor Program and began a 16-week mentorship with a UGA Alum working at Warner Media
  • Practiced case studies with a small group of peers and had findings evaluated by a current expert; received positive feedback on solutions shared

Projects and Research

  • Contributed to Dr. __________’s research focused on media accuracy, fact-checking and misinformation basics by identifying news sources to investigate for common themes
  • Compiled an article and submitted to AdAge for review

*Completed in place of rescinded offer

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