Looking for a Summer Internship? Here's What You Should…

Landing an internship can be as difficult as landing a job. But if you’re in the market for one this summer, there are a few ways to make the process less painful.

By examining the profiles of millions of university students, LinkedIn has collected new data which reveals the best time to apply for an internship, which industries offer the most full-time gigs and which types of internships best suit which college majors.

Related: 3 Ways to Make an Internship Invaluable, Regardless of Pay

You’ve got a little bit of time before you should get started on those applications, though not much. According to LinkedIn, March is the the best time to apply for an internship. Last year, not only did the amount of internship applications spike during March, but the chance of landing an internship increased, too. Turns out, employers also seem to actively hire interns in March.

Image credit: Linkedin

Timing is not the only thing to keep in mind when applying for a summer gig — where you choose to apply is also major factor. It’s no surprise that big cities offer the most internship opportunities, and New York leads the pack. (Hey, who wouldn’t want to spend a summer in the Big Apple?) After New York, Chicago and Los Angeles are also internship gold mines.

Image credit: Linkedin

Editorial, accounting, data, legal — there’s an array of internships available in various industries. To boost your chances of landing one, it’s vital that you apply for those that correspond with your skills, studies and previous experience. If you’re unsure what type of position best fits your major, LinkedIn’s graph below can help.

Image credit: Linkedin

Internships are not only great buffers for your resume, but they often lead to full-time jobs as well. Some industries tend to offer interns full-time positions post-graduation. If you’re in accounting, you’re in luck — 55 percent of interns receive full-time job offers  after completing an internship. From management consulting to computer software, a number of industries regularly hire their interns. Here are the top five:

1. Accounting (55 percent)

2. Semiconductors (43 percent)

3. Management consulting (38 percent)

4. Computer software (36 percent)

5. Civil engineering (34 percent)

Rose Leadem

Rose Leadem is an online editorial assistant at Entrepreneur Media Inc. 

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