Students: Need help with career planning? Whether you're still trying to explore your career options or are seeking work experience to bolster your resume, internships can prove invaluable as you develop your career. Read on to learn more about the professional benefits of internships...
The Benefits of Internships
Transitioning from college to career can be intimidating. Many graduates struggle to identify the right career path or find themselves getting lost in the competitive job market. Completing an internship - or several - while you're in school can help you get an edge on this process.
Find Your Dream Job
There aren't very many people who start school with a 'dream job' already in mind. Internships can help you narrow your professional focus by giving you the opportunity to explore different fields and different positions. Write down a list of your interests, then meet with your school's career counselor to find out what types of internships may be available to you in those areas. Try to pursue a couple of very different opportunities in order to really get a feel for your options.
Improve Your Resume
Even if you already know what you want to do after you graduate, chances are that your resume isn't a mile long yet. Many recent college graduates have a hard time meeting minimum work experience requirements in jobs for which they might otherwise be qualified. Completing at least one internship can help you gain professional experience while still in school and give you something impressive to put on that resume.
Develop Professional Skills
Even though internships mimic jobs in many ways, they're truly about learning. You'll probably earn college credit instead of cash, but you're not free labor - it's your employer's role to give you on-the-job professional training. This can give you the opportunity to practice what you're been learning in the classroom in the 'real world' and develop hands-on, practical skills. And those look great on a resume, too.
Network, Network, Network
Making professional connections is a crucial part of getting started on your career path. Not only can knowing the right person help you get your foot in the door in most workplaces, having good connections helps you tap into a whole network of professional information and resources. An internship is a great place to make these connections. If you perform well, your employer may be willing to write you a recommendation and introduce you to other people in the field. Furthermore, your fellow interns and coworkers will one day be your professional peers and may themselves prove to be useful connections. And some lucky interns even find a salaried job at the same place after graduation.
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