I’m a current junior working on my bachelors degree and a well rated college. I spent the entirety of last semester, winter break, and the summer break before that working on my portfolio website, resume, cover letter, and applying for internships for the upcoming summer. I have worked part time since I was 16 (including over covid) and got great grades in high school and have volunteer/extracurricular activities out the ass. I’ve pushed myself in college and have built a small but impressive portfolio of work that is class driven, self-directed, and for projects and groups that I took on as resume builders.
I applied for 50 internships in my desired field and related ones over the course of December, January, and February. 6 companies have viewed my resume and profile but have not yet reached out. 9 contacted me inviting me for an interview, or requesting I completed a project for them to test my skills.
I have interviewed with 5 of them.
Of the 5, one offered to bring me on but only for college credit (which at this point I do not need). One I was rejected from after the first interview because I made the mistake of telling them I could only work part time while still in school for the spring. And as of today three have strung me along for several email exchanges and two phone/video interviews, seemingly very excited about my experience and resume, only to send me a rejection email two weeks later.
All of my interviews with these three (all very notable or big-name companies) went very well, but I still wasn’t enough.
At this point I am starting to feel very burnt out and like it must be something wrong with me that is causing this. I’m taking a full course load and am extremely busy with those. The career education counselors at my school remain of very little help for me or my peers. I haven’t applied to anything new since the semester started, and feel terrified of not finding anything for the summer. I can’t afford to take the time off. What should I do?
TLDR: I either hear nothing from companies or make it all the way to the last round of interviews, but I’m still getting rejected. What do I do?