Consider the following two scenarios: Jack is a recent graduate with a business degree and a goal of getting work in the auto industry. He goes on several interviews. The companies are impressed with his academic performance, but he keeps hearing the same objection: He lacks experience.

Jane also is a recent graduate with an accounting degree. She lands a job at a reputable firm, but a few months later, she realizes this is not the career for her.

These scenarios probably could have been avoided if Jack and Jane had participated in an internship or two during their college years.

“Internships are just like driver’s ed — they are an opportunity for students to test drive a career and explore if this is the right profession for them. It also is a resume builder and provides networking opportunities that can help students land that first job,” explains Stephanie Siegreen, director of career planning and placement at Saginaw Valley State University in Saginaw, Michigan. 

Benefits of Internships

That was just the case for Pamela Reynolds of General Motors, who says her internship at CNN helped shape her career path.

“Working in the broadcast media provided me with a solid understanding and insight that you can't learn unless you have lived it. And in my case as in many others, my internship lead to a full time position with the organization where I interned,” Reynolds says.

“Now as a public relations professional, my media background has served me well over the years and, I believe has allowed me to be more successful in many aspects of my career than I would have otherwise been.”

And there are other benefits too. Internships bring your classroom education to life. It provides hands-on experience that challenges in ways that academics cannot. Internships also prompt students to accept more responsibility and to learn crucial time management skills, Siegreen adds.

The most likely place to begin your search is right on your college campus. Most schools have a student career services center and some even have internship advisors who can point you in the right direction.

Most have a network or database of companies and organizations that offer internships. If your school doesn’t have such a center, check with your academic advisor or a faculty member within your degree program for some employers to target.

Here are some other reputable sources:

  • Professional organizations with student chapters, such as the Society of Professional Journalists, Association of Information Technology Professionals and American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
  • Federal government internships Web site.
  • School career fairs.
  • Many states have their own databases.

When is the best time for an internship? Career advisors recommend as early as possible in your schooling. It’s a common misconception that employers favor seniors — so don’t let that delay your search.

Plus, you don’t want to wait until your last year of college to discover you detest your chosen profession. So start looking for internships shortly after you have declared a major, or if you haven’t settled on a degree program yet, try an internship in a field you’re interested in.

 

Gina Carrier is a freelance writer.