If you're interested in obtaining an internship with a small company, this year may provide you with that opportunity.

As many large companies are cutting back on their internship programs because of the economy, students are going to have fewer opportunities with larger companies. While this may be looked upon as a negative, it should turn into a positive for smaller companies.

As students are rejected from or are unable to find internships with larger companies - especially those affected by the financial industry - they'll have to accept the idea of working for a smaller company. This will help those smaller companies snatch up talented interns that would be otherwise unavailable, according to an article by The Wall Street Journal.

“The large firms, who do M.B.A. internship recruiting in a big way, have for the most part indicated that they’ll be taking less this year,” Tom Kozicki, executive director of the MBA Career Center at the University of California in Irvine, said in the article.

If a company is planning to offer a summer internship, they usually begin considering what that position will entail during January and February and will then contact universities to advertise the position. Students should begin applying shorty after that.

"Summer internships are a way a small company can get specialized and unique help they otherwise couldn’t get, or couldn’t justify hiring permanently," the article notes. "Many companies can also benefit from getting someone with a fresh, young perspective to help spot new opportunities.

"An M.B.A. intern might be a good option for companies that need high-level strategic help, such as someone who can build a comprehensive new marketing program or complex financial analysis," the article continues. "A college undergrad could be better suited for an internship with less responsibility or strategizing. Talking with the school’s M.B.A. or undergrad career center is a good start, since they can steer you in the right direction."