<p>Here’s $0.02 from a recent graduate:</p>
<p>It’s perfectly ok if you aren’t sure career-wise what you want to do, but when you look for jobs you have to be able to demonstrate interest. What type of jobs are you interested in? What do you want to get out of an internship (besides money)? What kinds of skills, coursework, or experiences do you have that might be of value during your internship? You’ll want to be able to communicate these clearly in your cover letters and interviews. I would pick a few careers that interest you (you don’t have to be in love with anything yet) and narrow your search from there.
Are you majoring in a field that involves a lot of research? Finding opportunities with professors in your department or through Reseach Experience for Undergraduates is a solid alternative to doing a “name-brand” internship with a company. It’s not for everyone, but it will give you good experience and skills to put on your resume. It’ll also help you decide whether or not you want to go to grad school.</p>
<p>Otherwise, some of the posters above have given some good advice. One thing I can add that may or may not apply to you is the DYO program. If you qualify for Federal Work-Study you can get some funding from Cornell. They basically cover a part of your summer wages, making you more attractive to employers:
[Develop</a> Your Own Summer Internship](<a href=“Career Services | Student & Campus Life | Cornell University”>Career Services | Student & Campus Life | Cornell University)</p>
<p>My freshman year I got an unpaid research assistant position, but was able to convince my professor to pay for me. </p>
<p>Even if it feels a little daunting, I think you should still apply to some internships. Having valuable work experience on your resume and being able to talk about them during interviews will help you a lot when you’re looking for internships next year or the year after. At the very least you’ll be better prepared for next year after having gone through the process once before.</p>