1. Unpaid Internships (Only If You Can!)

I took on two unpaid internships early on, and while I don’t recommend working for free long-term, they did help boost my resume. If you have the means:

• Keep it light (5-10 hours a week max).
• Treat it more like volunteering than labor: nonprofits > corporations that can pay.
• Ideal for high schoolers or college freshmen struggling to land paid roles.

2. Learning Programs & Certifications

Some of my internships came from alumni chats and learning programs, literally just from being in the right group chats. Certifications also help: they show initiative and make your resume stand out.

3. Reach Out to Small Founders & Creators

If you admire a small business owner, startup founder, or content creator, reach out! Offer to help with something specific. Many of them need extra hands, and you’ll get real experience in return.

4. Leverage Career Fairs & Company Programs

Universities and companies want to help students succeed. Look out for:

• Bridge programs (for underrepresented students)
• Case study workshops (they sometimes lead to offers)
• School resources (career fairs, alumni networks, faculty referrals)

5. Put Your Passion Project on Your Resume

Whether it’s a blog, a nonprofit, or a social media page, you need something that’s yours. Passion projects make you memorable, and trust me, recruiters remember them.

The key? Stay open to unconventional opportunities . Your first “yes” won’t always come from a job posting, it might come from a DM, a program you almost ignored, or a project you never thought would matter. Take the shot.

Grants:

For Businesses:

• Hello Alice (a hub for several opportunities)
• Coalition to Back Black Businesses
• Black Ambition Prize (no longer accepting applications for 2023, but those who sign up for their newsletter get great opportunities!)
• Amber Grant
• FundsNet Services (another hub)

For Nonprofits:

• AWS Imagine Grant
• The Grant Portal
• Grants.gov

Scholarships/Programs:

• Udacity (scholarships updated frequently, and mostly for those interested in tech and innovation).
• Founding a Startup? or already have?
• CodePath (for those interested in Computer Science/Tech)
• Edx (several free courses on topics on almost everything)
• Coursera (also a lot of free courses)

Job/Internship Opportunities:

• Job Match-Making Platform (Free!)
• Handshake (for college students)
• Home From College (Don’t let the name fool you: there’s plenty of UGC and ambassador programs for people of all ages and those who attend college or not!)

And remember, always search up your favorite/dream company along with “internship”, “grant”, or “opportunities!” And if you’re interested in building a nonprofit organization, most of that funding comes locally. Look up you state along with “nonprofit grants” and you’ll get a tonnnn of results.