There comes a point in one’s career when he or she simply can’t tweak that summer retail experience for their benefit. The mall, fast food, and clothing store knowledge doesn’t always translate into the entry-level role you desire post graduation. At this point, you should have a few credit hours behind you. However, you’re not quite experienced enough for a full-time job in your field. What do you do? Intern.
The internship is a great way to leverage the information learned in college courses with practical experience. It’s also helpful in determining your specialties and likes so you don’t end up with a job you hate. The movies make it seem like you’re just fetching breakfast and coffee but it’s not really like that all. Every day is a networking experience and your performance can easily set you up for a job post-graduation.
And so what if its unpaid? You’re probably not going to get a job in today’s market without any real experience. Interning helps your résumé stand out. You won’t be an intern forever, but to start, you might need to sacrifice those 20-40 hours a week. You’ll be glad you did later.
I am grateful for the knowledge gained through my college internships. That experience afforded me a job in my field right out of school when others struggled to find work.
Have you interned before? What did you gain through that experience? What are you hoping to gain through an internship?
Credits: gt8073a
I feel the same way you do about the value of internships, even recommended it to my youngest child who is interning at a radio station now for the experience in broadcast journalism, unpaid (sort of.)
I interned with a radio station and not only did I learn the ins and outs of operating a station, I learned a lot from the promotions and marketing side. It was one of my favorite internships to date.