How An Internship Can Help You Land A Job
Resources and connections are everything when you are a student who is looking to land a decent job after graduation. An internship is a great way to help you learn not only the skills you need to get into the workplace, it can also help you build those all-important connections that you’ll need later on. An internship really is a huge stepping-stone to working in the real world. If you don’t have one yet, get one. If you’ve already started working on an internship, keep up the great work and take it seriously.
When You Should Get An Internship
You can start an internship any time during college, but many of them have a designated duration such as a full school year, two semesters, two years, and even four years. The type of education you are receiving usually dictates what type of internship you’ll need to go for as well as how long it will last. An internship that is relevant to the career you would like to start after graduation is always a good thing, regardless of when you have it. The longer you are able to hold down and internship or co-op the better, as this can be a great reference for you later on.
What An Internship Does For You
If you participate in an internship that is relevant to your career choice you are literally preparing yourself for life after graduation. Though many internships do not pay or pay very little, doing the work you expect to do after graduation will allow you to practice what you’ve learned while in school. When you participate in an internship every day or weekly, you also get to see how your work will affect your life. Many people believe that they are passionate about a particular subject, but when they have to actually go and work at it every day, they lose their passion and find out that their career choice is not for them. An internship allows you the opportunity to see if you’ve really got what it takes to get the job you’ve wanted for so long. Whether you like the internship or not, working in your field of interest is simply good practice.
An internship not only prepares you for what work will be like when you graduate it also provides relevant experience. While many employers are forgiving of the fact that most new college graduates have more education than experience, one should never underestimate the value of experience. Most employers will admit if they have two well-educated individuals vying for the same position but one has some experience even if it’s only an internship, they’ll choose the candidate with the intern experience. Experience speaks volumes because it says you are capable, driven, and ready to get your career started. Because you will likely be competing for jobs with other college graduates and people who have been on the job for years, you’ll want to have that internship experience on your side because employers value people who were willing and able to get through school with some experience in addition to the great education.
An internship also gives you access to people in the business. If you are working with an internship program that is relevant to your field of interest and education then you are likely to make many business contacts while there. The longer you are involved in the internship program, the more contacts you’ll obviously make, which is a good thing. If you do a good job while working with the program, you’ll likely receive an offer to continue with the company in a paying position. Even if the position is not your dream job, you can take the job to secure your financial future after graduation and until you can land another job. During the course of your internship you should also try to make contacts with other relevant businesses or companies and let the management know that you would appreciate consideration after graduation for a permanent job. Many companies will give consideration to students that they have dealt with before, so be sure and apply with companies that you make contact and establish a good working relationship with.
Experience is invaluable when you are looking for a job after graduation. An internship, whether it lasts six months or four years can give you the experience you’ll need when you really want to make a lasting impression on prospective employers. An internship will also allow you to make a smooth transition from student to employee, which is quite difficult for a large portion of the student population.
Those that complete an internship program also find that they are more confident in their ability to attain and hold down a job in the field of their choice. Confidence is key when you are the “new kid” on the job and everyone is waiting to see what you will add to the company you are hired by. Confidence can help you land a great job, even when you don’t have any other experience, so why not give yourself a running start and get an internship while you still can? Business contacts, lifestyle and general readiness, and confidence are things that cannot be overlooked when you will be graduating soon and in need of a job to pay off your student loans and get your career started!
