Summer break is not only for rest, relaxation and to party - it's also a great learning opportunity and can add experience and skills to your resume that may come in handy down the line. It's never too early, or too late, to look for a summer internship. Here are some tips to find that perfect summer job or internship:

Think BIG.

What do you really want to do? This is your opportunity to think about all the great and grand things that you may want to do and try it out. Always wanted to be a firefighter? Try to grab an internship in a department. Have you always enjoyed hiking and being outdoors? Maybe you should look at becoming a counselor/intern at a summer camp. See how crazy of an idea you can come up with, and try it out.

Test Out Your Field.

Already know what you want to do when you're done at the UW? Then the summer is a great opportunity to test the real deal. Maybe you're aspiring to be an attorney. Grab an internship with a law firm or local lawyer. Want to be in policy development? Try out a summer government internship down in Olympia. Regardless, start by checking HuskyJobs to see if there's an internship with an organization in your field. If not, call up possible organizations and businesses to find out if they need any help. Even if they're not hiring, they have suggestions you can use to continue your search.

Create Your Own Internship.

You may run into an employer or two who just can't afford to hire you. If you're really interested in working for them, consider offering your services for free. The experience and skills you gain may be worth their weight in gold! Note; just be sure to treat unpaid internships as you would a paid one: show up on time, pay attention and work hard and you'll get a great skill set and experience you can use.

Think About Volunteering.

Spending your summer donating your time and skills for a local or national charity is a great way to learn - about life and yourself - while building experience and skills as well.

Ask Your Network.

One of the best ways to find new opportunities is simply to ask people you know whether they're friends, family or acquaintances. Start with those who know you and branch out - i.e. parents, friends, professors, counselors... Even Aunt Mae may know of something or have suggestions you hadn't thought about.

Talk With a Counselor.

Working with one of our career counselors, in addition to the above, is an excellent way to get help targeting employers, tweaking (or creating) your resume and cover letter, and finding the internship you will find enjoyable and beneficial.