March 25, 2024

The Perks of Taking on an Internship

The Perks of Taking on an Internship

As competition for jobs today becomes more and more cutthroat, the biggest difference between you and the contender sitting next to you is work experience. So for those of you who don’t have the work experience needed, you can have the next best thing, an internship!

Why are they so great? A professional internship helps give you the right insight you need for the job field you are looking to work in. They provide you with the right resources, and experience to see if this is the right job for you, and an internship at a startup can give your experience a boost. It will get you in at the ground level of company creation, which will give you a unique look at how businesses operate. Since startups typically have smaller employees to work ratios, finding an internship there can give you a taste of a wide range of roles, and cut down on your chance of being in charge of stapling papers and fetching coffee.

Here are the benefits of interning while in college:

1) Most internships are worth college credits, and many will even pay you! (A clear college student necessity!)

2) You get actual real-world experience in your field. You can’t learn everything in a classroom, and an internship provides you the perfect avenue to take on the role of the job you seek.

3) Connections, references, and the path to opportunity! You know that annoying phrase “You never know who you’re going to meet?” As irritating as it can get to hear, it’s definitely true. The key to job opportunity success is all about who you know, and the more contacts and connections you make, the greater your chances are of getting the job.

Not only will you get to meet and learn from people in the actual professional field, but your potential employers will want to know that you are the right person for the job. Having a recommendation from your internship advisor/future boss/reference contact is the best person to ensure how well you perform and interact in the field. There are many instances in which internships can lead to full-time job positions at a company, especially at a startup company.

4) You also gain access to the right resources you can’t always get in your college classroom. In the professional world, there are always “new” programs to help make job performance “easier;” and being able to show these tools used to complete the work as needed is a great resume boost.

Transitioning into the stage of “life after college” can be quite an adjustment. The easy days of naps in between classes, and partying from Wednesday to Saturday will quickly come to an end, and the concern of getting a job to start paying off student loans will begin. The trick to it is to stay involved. The more you are involved, the better your chances of getting an internship, and the job will increase. Being involved in student leadership activities, clubs and organizations, or even community services will make you stand out and get noticed.

So, as for the non-perks to an internship, absolutely none come to mind! Of course, each internship is different, and whether you find it to be the right fit for you will only come with experience. The beauty of internships is that they are everywhere. Check out your school website, or even internet job sites. Many companies are looking for interns, and whether you are at a startup company, or even a Fortune 500 company the possibilities, and opportunities are endless!

Samantha Levine is a freelance writer for magazinediscountcenter.com. In her free time she enjoys cooking, traveling, and reading in coffee shops. You can follow her on Google+

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