A new semester brings a wealth of questions: Am I ready to graduate? Do I like where I’m headed? Why did I schedule another 8 a.m. class?
Well, only you can answer those questions, but one thing that can answer the first two is an internship. Hopefully you’re hearing a lot about internships from your professors, advisers, parents, and friends. You might even be burned out on the term “internship.” But internships are a huge step toward becoming a professional.
Why?
- Internships give you experience. I had friends in advertising and in architecture who quickly realized employers cared solely about their portfolios and experience. If you wait to look for experience until after you’ve graduated, you’re going to have some tough competition.
- I’ve mentioned it before, but internships also let you realize if you’re on the right path. It’s not uncommon for students on the teaching path to be teaching assistants or even part-time teachers, only to realize it’s not what they want to do. Better to learn this now than later.
- Interning allows you to learn how to be a professional. Many students have never held a job, or those who did worked part-time retail jobs or babysat. While these are excellent jobs that gave you great experience, you should also be familiar with the business world. If getting up for that morning class is hard for you or if you don’t own a single pair of dress shoes, now’s a good time to expose yourself to this culture. It doesn’t mean you’ll end up working in some stuffy office you hate, but you’ll be able to go on interviews confident that you can fit in anywhere you want.
- Networking. Whether or not you end up with a job at the same place you intern, you’ll spend the next 10 or 15 weeks (or longer) meeting people in the field. When it comes time to look for a job, you have someone to go to for guidance, a recommendation, or even a job. You can’t make those connections inside a classroom.
As for that 8 a.m. class–only you know why you registered for it!
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