A couple of years ago I was determining whether or not I should do an internship. I asked myself “What are the benefits?”, “the internship will take up so much time, how will I fit it into my schedule?” After weighing the pros and cons, over the past few years I have done a few internships that have helped secure my confidence, and grown my experience.
Here are my top ten reasons as to why I believe every student should do an internship:
- Employers increasingly want to see experience in the new college grads they hire.
- Employers increasingly see their internship programs as the best path for hiring entry-level candidates.
- You may get paid more when you graduate if you’ve done one or more internships.
- You could earn college credit toward your degree. – This one is huge! I am currently doing an internship that I am able to get college credit for, which helps me achieve my goal of getting a degree faster.
- Internships enable you take your career plan for a test drive. – This one is also a major pro. I have done an internship before that I thought would be the perfect fit, but in reality, it did not work out. This could have been a major problem for me if I had pursued a career that eventually did not work out for me.
- You’ll gain valuable understanding of your major field and be better able to grasp how your coursework is preparing you to enter your chosen career.
- You’ll develop skills galore. – So true! Before I started my internship, I was not the best in certain areas. However, I have gained skills such as computer skills, public speaking, timeliness and organizational skills. (all which are vital in any job)
- You’ll gain confidence.
- You’ll build motivation and work habits.
- You’ll build your network and resume. – Networking and resume building are exactly what every internship should build. If you are able to build your resume then that will help you network better. If you network, then you will meet people who can build your resume. A win-win situation!