Even during the height of the winter season, many students are beginning to set their sights on summer internships. If you’re one of the keener students looking to get a head start in the game, you’ve probably already begun searching for a position.  Ambition may have led you to some of the most well-known firms across the country. However, it’s important to understand that for these larger companies, hundreds of inquiries arrive at their doorsteps every year. Even with a wicked resume, it’ll be quite the challenge for you to stand out amongst such a large crowd. Your chances would significantly improve if you were to aim for a company that hasn’t made that big of a splash in the community yet. Startup companies are those that are slowly (and sometimes quickly) making their way onto the main stage. They may be in the process of developing a new product or they may be working to bring a creative new service to life. These companies are always eager for new talent to help raise their entrepreneurial ventures off the ground. In fact, most of these companies are so busy with day-to-day operations that they haven’t even thought about hiring interns. This would be the perfect opportunity for you to showcase your initiative by reaching out to them first. If there’s one thing that entrepreneurs love, it’s a self-starter!

There are several benefits to working with a startup. For one, these companies tend to be more willing to give you a significant role within their ranks. Of course this isn’t true for all startups, but it’s definitely a noticeable trend. With limited human resources on deck, these companies often have employees conducting tasks that would usually be shared among several other people. If you have the appropriate skillset, it’s likely that you’ll get some of these responsibilities placed on you, which would be the perfect opportunity to gain some real-world experience! In the long-term, your role may prove to be so substantial that you’ll be deemed a necessary fixture within the company. Of course, this would require a great deal of work on your part but it’s definitely a realistic possibility for interns working with startups.

If you’re interested in becoming an entrepreneur, interning with a startup would also be a great way to spend your summers. You would get the unique opportunity to see the various challenges that startups face on a regular basis and see how they maneuver around them.  This would definitely give you a leg up when starting your own company in the future.  Even if entrepreneurship doesn’t seem like a likely option for yourself, you can benefit from the educational experience of working within a newly-formed business.

It’s also important to make note of some of the potential downfalls of working with a startup. For one, it’s likely that the internship will be unpaid since startups often operate on tight budgets. Moreover, if you have long-term aspirations, it’s possible that the company many not exist in the future if their operations are unsuccessful. Beyond this, entrepreneurs often work long, irregular hours and it’s possible that they may have similar expectations for you. At the end of the day, it will be your responsibility to decide if working for a startup is right for you.