3 Ways to Land an Internship Without Applying Online

Many of my computer science graduate students at Cal State Fullerton have solid skills, solid work experience—and still get stuck without good internships.

They apply online. They wait. They hear nothing back. Eventually, many give up and settle for an on-campus position or a solo side project. It’s not bad experience—but it wasn’t the plan and it won't cut it for STEM OPT.

If that’s you, it’s not your fault. The internship pipeline just isn’t what it used to be.

Why Internships Are So Hard Right Now

Internships used to serve a few clear purposes. But many of those don’t apply in today’s job market.

1. Building a Hiring Pipeline Traditionally, internships were a way to scout future hires early. But when full-time hiring slows down—as it has in many industries—the pipeline freezes too. There’s no point in growing a line if no one’s getting through.

2. Trial Runs for Junior Roles Some companies use internships as a low-risk way to evaluate new talent. But again, if there's no open headcount, there's no reason to test for fit.

3. Small Projects That Need Doing In the past, interns were often handed small, well-scoped projects that full-timers didn’t have time for. But with modern tools—especially AI—those same tasks can now be done faster and cheaper without bringing on new people. That’s made some intern roles obsolete.

4. Goodwill and Giving Back Many founders, engineers, and managers simply enjoy mentoring or giving students a chance. That hasn’t gone away—but it doesn’t get advertised. These opportunities are often quiet, informal, and based on personal connection.

So yes, internships do still happen—but fewer are posted publicly, and fewer are designed with structured pipelines.

That means you can’t just apply and hope.

You have to create your own path in.

Host the Room You Want to Be In

When I was a student during the subprime recession, internships were drying up everywhere. Companies were laying off, not hiring—and definitely not investing in summer programs.

But I still wanted to learn. So I created my own opportunity.

I helped organize industry panels on mobile technology at MIT, in partnership with Mobile Monday (a global mobile industry trade group hosting monthly meetups). These weren’t small classroom talks. Hundreds of professionals across the Boston tech scene showed up to network, learn, and share ideas.

I emailed leaders I admired and invited them to speak. After the panel, I followed up. I told one of them how much I admired their work and asked, simply:

That led to two incredible roles—one at Nokia, one at Onset Technology.

The lesson stuck with me: you don’t need to wait for someone to open a door. You can build the room, invite the people you want to learn from, and create value before you ever ask for anything.

Initiative speaks louder than a resume—especially in tough markets.

Volunteer Where the Industry Gathers

Another time, I reached out to the organizers of Mobile Monday and asked if I could help out in exchange for access to the event.

They said yes.

I jumped in—helping with logistics, inviting speakers, making sure everything ran smoothly. It wasn’t glamorous, but it was real. And it got me in the room.

More importantly, it wasn’t about me.

The first thing I offered wasn’t my resume. It was my help.

By helping organize an event that gave others exposure and brought value to the community, I built trust with people in the industry—long before asking for anything myself.

One of those connections eventually led to an internship at JumpTap, a mobile ad startup that was thriving at the time.

These kinds of opportunities won’t show up in your job alerts. But they’re real—and they’re powerful.

So if you’re a student and the ticket price feels out of reach, try this:

Most organizers will say yes. And once you're in the room, everything changes.

Focus on Problems, Not Positions

One of my students recently told me about conversations she was having with founders at AI startups. She had great energy, great intent—but no results.

When I asked what they talked about, she never once asked about their challenges. Never asked where they were stuck or where help was needed.

That’s where most students stop: great conversation, no outcome.

Here’s a shift—start asking,

When someone sees you as a potential problem-solver, they stop focusing on whether you “have experience” or if they can give you “what you want,” and start thinking about how you can help.

A Final Word

Think the competition is too strong?

It only looks that way.

It’s like online dating: hundreds of messages, thousands of profiles—but in the end, people often trust those they meet in person. People they feel a connection with. People who show up.

If you ask about problems, offer solutions, and follow through, you’re the top 1%.

So instead of exclusively submitting online application, show up. Speak up. Ask about problems. Offer help. Deliver what you said you would do.

It’s how I got my first breaks—and how you can too.

Want More Help?

I support job seekers every day. If you want a free, personalized analysis of your resume, grab your report here: 👉 applicationowl.com/free-report

It’s time to get unstuck.