What to Do if Your Summer Internship Was Cancelled
By Grace McGowan
The current pandemic has changed life as we know it for the foreseeable future. Unfortunately, that means that many summer opportunities were cancelled at the last minute. When my summer fellowship was cancelled, I was concerned about what to do. Will grad schools or employers understand? What will I do with my time this summer? If your summer internship was cancelled, too, or if you were unable to find one because of the current situation, I want to offer some advice on what to do next.
Working Remotely
If you had a summer opportunity that was called off, ask your supervisor if you can work remotely. There’s no harm in trying to salvage the opportunity. Even if the in-person program was cancelled, you might be able to do something from home. You might be doing different tasks or working different hours than you originally planned, but keep an open mind. Remote work will fit some types of internships and programs but not others, so this option might not work for you. If you can’t formally work remotely, consider doing similar research or learning similar skills on your own.
Put Cancelled Offers on Your Resume
Don’t stress about a gap in summer experience on your resume. Admissions officers and hiring managers will be sympathetic; they can’t fault you for a situation out of your control. If you had a summer opportunity that was cancelled, you can still put it on your resume. This usually isn’t done, but the extenuating circumstances make this a reasonable solution. It probably doesn’t make sense to put a cancelled offer under your Experience section, but it would fit in an Awards and Honors section or even your Education section. You can write something like, “Accepted offer with Company A for Summer 2020 internship / Finalist for Program B for Summer 2020. The internship/program was cancelled due to COVID-19.” This way, whoever is reviewing your resume will know that you had a great summer opportunity that you simply couldn’t take part in. They’ll look at your internship offer or your status as a program finalist favorably.
Think About How You Can Stand Out
I want to preface this section by repeating what I said above: admissions officers and hiring managers will completely understand if you don’t have a professional opportunity this summer. However, think about how you can put a positive spin on Summer 2020 during future interviews. All applicants will likely say that their summer offer was cancelled or that they couldn’t find one because of the pandemic. If you can accompany that statement with something constructive you did in response, you will stand out. This summer, learn about a new topic or pick up a new skill. You can do this by signing up for an online program, watching free tutorials online, or reading books. Take extra time to study for entrance exams like the LSAT, MCAT, or GRE. You can also find a way to help your local healthcare professionals or others in need of supplies and support right now. The options are endless. I don’t think you have to do something academic or something necessarily related to your field. The point is to show an interviewer that you took initiative and were resourceful with your time. This will turn conversations about Summer 2020 into positive moments in your interviews.
It feels like everyone is saying this, but these are unprecedented times. Regardless of what your summer looks like, remember that you won’t suffer professionally because of anything that interrupted your summer plans. The best thing you can do is to use your extra time to learn something new or do something that interests you. Take a moment to relax this summer, too. If the current situation continues, it’ll be important to balance your professional goals with your mental and physical health, which should always take priority.
