The Editorial Board’s guide to searching for internships this winter quarter
By THE EDITORIAL BOARD
The internship-searching frenzy is upon us. Whether you’re feeling pressure from your parents to “lock in and find something” or from your professors hinting that you should start applying to everything early, this time of year is often overwhelming for those looking for summer career opportunities. In many fields, scoring an internship is a crucial step in the journey to gaining invaluable industry experience and securing a full-time position post-graduation.
For college students, however, finding a position in the current job market is undoubtedly challenging. The number of estimated job openings dropped from 7.45 million in October to 7.15 million in November 2025, marking the lowest level in over a year, according to an analysis by CNN. Hiring activity also slowed to 3.2% — the lowest rate in more than a decade. While discouraging, these trends indicate that even greater care and strategy is needed to market yourself in an uncertain economy.
Networking and job-hunting
Networking — the practice of creating mutually beneficial, professional relationships — is one of the best skills you can hone in college. While it can feel awkward and intimidating for those who aren’t used to reaching out first, the reality is that the more people you know, the better. Whether it’s joining industry groups, attending conventions and conferences or setting up informational coffee chats, forging and utilizing your connections can grant you both insider information on your field of interest and potential references.
While at UC Davis, a great way to start networking is to foster relationships with your professors by attending their office hours and reaching out for guidance. On campus, the Career Center also offers stellar opportunities to refine your Curriculum Vitae (CV) and resume, find connections with employers searching to fill positions and gain tips on how to approach mentors for letters of recommendation. Through Handshake, an online job-search platform that aims to “help every student to find the right job, no matter where they’re from or who they know,” you can also find bountiful research and work-study opportunities. Indeed and LinkedIn are also generally reliable sites for applying and networking.
Every year, the Career Center hosts a variety of internship and career fairs — events where prospective employers can showcase their companies and students can practice networking. The next upcoming fair is the Engineering, Energy and Technology Career Fair, being held on Jan. 21, 2026 at the University Credit Union Center from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., followed by the Winter Career Fair on Feb. 11. These events, while not guaranteeing a job or internship, offer vital practice and industry exposure for students interested in gaining more professional experience.
Resumes, cover letters and interviews
Even if you spend hours networking, job-hunting and cold-emailing, creating a well-structured resume and a personalized cover letter is a step that cannot be overlooked.
Resumes operate best when catered to your potential employer and the experience and skills the job listing requires; resumes should be to-the-point and properly formatted so that your application is victorious against artificially intelligent filter bots. Cover letters, while they may often feel tedious and redundant to write, offer an exceptional chance to stand out from the crowd and demonstrate exactly why you are the perfect candidate for the job.
If you are able to land that first interview for a position you are interested in — congratulations! Unfortunately, the work is far from over. Performing well in an interview centers on your ability to present yourself professionally, showcase your strengths and personality and leverage your interpersonal communication skills.
When going in for an interview, be on time. Come in with confidence and composure, backed with prepared answers to potential questions and a wealth of knowledge about the company you are interviewing with. Be able to tell stories about yourself that showcase situations where you used your skills and experience to excel. Always ask a question at the end — one that shows you are genuinely curious about the work culture and day-to-day operations of the organization.
Ultimately, employers tend to prioritize candidates who show genuine passion for the job: those demonstrating outstanding work ethic while also being enjoyable to work with. Finding creative ways to go above and beyond — while it is regrettable that such lengths are necessary — is essential in order to distinguish yourself from the crowd.
Even if you aren’t able to land your dream internship, don’t lose hope. Every application and interview that falls through is not time wasted, but practice that strengthens your communication skills and expands your network — even just a little bit. Our final piece of advice is to look for internships that you will genuinely enjoy and ones that you will learn from and which play off your current strengths and skillset. Though the job-search process is unquestionably stressful, it is essential that you remain positive and proactive; everything will work out in the end.
Written by: The Editorial Board
