Students frequently want to know whether an internship is worth it, and whether it will make him or her more marketable after graduation. The simple answer is "yes, " this is an opportunity that is normally too good to pass up. Internships yield immeasurable benefits to students. First, and most critically, the student receives increased exposure to real-world applications of knowledge, skills and techniques, and they obtain insight into a typical work day which colleges simply cannot teach. Second, an internship can help a student determine whether a chosen major or field of study is a good fit. In fact, many internships do not necessarily require a student to declare a major. Rather, organizations will consider applicants based on their educational record, demonstrated intelligence and work ethic. Third, an internship can alert a student to courses, either technical or theoretical, which should be taken in remaining college semesters. During the course of an internship, a student can learn from those employees, both lower-level and management, to find out what coursework they took or what they would recommend as critical to a particular field.
Companies, particularly sophisticated ones, are increasingly requiring students to obtain college credit for internships, due in large part to concerns over wage and hour laws. Students will need to contact their particular college, or Dean's Office, to gain approval for the internship. Procedures at academic institutions vary in terms of approval, so students should research what is required from an administrative standpoint very early on in the process. Most institutions list their credit policies and practices on internal websites. Finally, a student should be aware that the credit hours may not count towards the credit required for graduation. This is a cost of obtaining an internship and should be evaluated along with other criteria.
Even if the benefits of an internship are readily apparent to a student, he or she may want to know whether it is likely to result in a permanent offer of full-time employment. Of course, there are no guarantees, but employers generally view internships as critical factors in considering whether to give a new college graduate a full-time position. The internship that a student takes during his or her sophomore and junior years will certainly make that student more marketable. Even if the student changes his or her major, an employer can see that the student invested time into gaining valuable real-world experience. In this sense, a student must build a network of professional contacts at whatever internship position he or she takes. Employers will tend to view an application as more trustworthy if a professional contact, rather than a close family friend, serves as a reference. Finally, an internship builds up confidence. A student will not be intimidated during an interview and frequently will ask more intelligent questions about the workplace and job duties expected of him or her. Since personal impressions during interviews are critical to landing a job, an internship can help instill a sense of ease and comfort in a college graduate ready to embark on the real world full time.
© 2007 Real Interns