Internships

A big part of getting a job after graduation is job experience. Today corporations are putting a big emphasis on the importance of internships. The question is, are these internships truly helping students excel in the workforce or are they simply resume toppings?

My two internships taught me a lot of things about myself and changed my perspective of the workforce. I have had the opportunity to intern for non-profit and for-profit corporations, both of which have helped me define my ideal job. It is best to test the waters before you enter into full time employment and internships can help you discover what you want to do and what you don’t want to do.

Most importantly my internships have given me a chance to identify, understand and work with other personality types. Different personality types are needed to run a successful corporation but the key lies in understanding one another, learning to work together, utilizing strengths and overcoming weaknesses.

My internships also taught me how to communicate with supervisors, take inventory, unjam the copier, file paperwork and organize the storage closet. Needless to say, even if you are stuck in a dull internship, you can make the best of it by learning to acknowledge the things you can’t learn in the classroom. Professors, textbooks, and group projects can only teach you the basics. Internships allow you to apply your basic knowledge in a “real world” environment and help you develop valuable interpersonal skills.

As the job market continues to decrease, the competition for jobs continues to increase. Internships can be the defining factor between you and millions of other job applicants. Networking is also a key asset for landing a job right out of college. Internships allow you to enhance your portfolio, network among professionals and provide references.

Let me simply say...the value in college internships is up to you!