The Value of an Internship

If you think that a college diploma is all you need to find a job, you need to rethink your plans. Your search will bring you to a harsh reality ... it's difficult to get a good job without experience in a particular field, and you can't get experience until you've had a job. More and more students are finding out that applied learning such as internships and cooperative education programs (co-ops) give the necessary practical experience and provide a contact base that is invaluable in the job search process. For employers, these programs allow them to get a jump-start on training a talented young workforce. According to Webster's dictionary, an intern is an advanced student gaining supervised practical experience. Nowadays, this experience is obtained in all sorts of industries and many employers are hiring and training student interns with the hope of developing their workforce.

Internships provide opportunities to experiment and pursue careers that match academic and personal interests. There are many benefits to completing an internship including the development of strong teamwork skills balanced with the exercise of individual responsibility, the opportunity to experiment with jobs that match academic and personal interests and the chance to develop industry-specific abilities. Internships also increase the likelihood of building professional networking and mentoring relationships. Internships help students become viable, experienced job applicants when seeking employment after graduation. In fact, many employers consider internship experience in the hiring process, and often look to their own interns as the best potential candidates for full-time positions.

“It is no longer acceptable to graduate and start looking for a job. You have to have relevant job or internship experience. Start looking as a freshman. Target the companies or industries you want to work in. Get job experiences during the summer, over holiday breaks, take free internships, meet people, know the industry you want to work in. If you wait till you graduate, it’s too late.”

Conn, Ashley. “10 Minutes with Joel Conner”, Career Connections, SIFE Fall 2009 (34-35).

Thanks for checking back with Career Services and please feel free to contact us with any career related needs you might have. We can be reached by email at career.services@atu.edu or by phone at 479-968-0278. Check back next week for another updated Norman Speaks.