College students are often consumed by coursework, and they spend a significant amount of time studying for exams and writing term papers about topics related to their chosen major. While it's important to stay focused and earn the best grades possible throughout your college career, you may also want to explore internship opportunities.
Companies and organizations of all sizes offer college internship programs that are designed to provide students with real-world experience prior to graduation. In addition to helping students develop the skills that they may need for life outside of the classroom, internships also often provide college students with networking opportunities to help them launch their careers.
These are just a few of the benefits of completing an internship while you are in college:
One of the best reasons to complete an internship while you are still in college and working toward earning your degree is that these unique professional opportunities allow you to learn what life will be like in your chosen field. For some, it's an eye-opening experience that solidifies their choice to pursue a particular major. For others, it helps them realize that maybe they need to take their college career in a different direction. Often, the best way to know what your life might be like after graduation is to experience it for yourself in a professional setting.
In order to be fully prepared for any entry-level career opportunity, you will need to have a set of skills that can be applied or used in a professional setting. When you take an internship, you will be given a unique chance to develop skills that will be relevant to your chosen career. For example, a communication student specializing in public relations can take an internship at a public relations firm and interview clients, write press releases and pitch them to members of the media. This is experience that is difficult to gain in a classroom setting and will be very valuable after graduation.
In addition to enjoying first-hand experience in the professional setting, college students who take on an internship also can begin to build their professional network. The intern coordinator as well as your manager and co-workers are all going to play a valuable role in your budding professional network. You may be able to rely on them for letters of recommendation in the future, or they may call you if a full-time job opportunity arises within their organization after you graduate.
When you earn your degree, and you start looking for that first job, you are going to need to submit a resume. In today's competitive job market, most employers are going to be looking for a resume that includes more than just your educational experience. An internship that is completed while you are in college is often the best thing to list on your resume, as it proves that you have professional experience in your chosen field.
For some college students, their internship program takes them far away from campus for the summer or for a semester. This is a wonderful opportunity to live and work in a new city. Many students find that it's exciting to experience a new destination and to immerse themselves in the culture of that community. You may even find that you love the new city so much that you want to relocate there after graduation.
Many internships are paid programs that allow college students to earn an income while they are working toward completing their degree. Paid internship programs help alleviate the financial burden for some college students who are paying for tuition and room and board on their own. However, even if an internship is unpaid, many students find that the value of the experience is worth the financial hardship.
Your internship can be used a steppingstone throughout your college career. You may accept your first internship position early in your college career and use that experience to secure another higher-level internship before you graduate. Or you may be able to use the internship experience and secure that coveted first job after earning your degree. Either way, you will find that your internship provides you with an opportunity to kick-start your fledgling career.
Depending on the size of the organization you are working with for your internship, you may be side-by-side with other interns throughout the duration of the program. Many people who complete internship programs with other college students find that it is a bonding experience, and they carry those friendships with them throughout the rest of their lives. These first friendships in the professional setting can also help you enhance your network.
Perhaps the most significant benefit to taking on an internship during college is that the experience will boost your confidence. By finetuning your skills and applying your knowledge in the professional setting, you will begin to feel ready to take on that first job in your career field after graduation.
At Geneva College, we believe that all of our students can benefit from internship programs, regardless of their field of study. Our qualified staff members and advisors work closely with students to help them secure internship opportunities throughout their college career. By providing students with resources and connections, we are able to give our community the advantage after they graduate.
For more information about the benefits of completing an internship in college, contact us today.
Opinions expressed in the Geneva Blog are those of its contributors and do not necessarily represent the opinions or official position of the College. The Geneva Blog is a place for faculty and contributing writers to express points of view, academic insights, and contribute to national conversations to spark thought, conversation, and the pursuit of truth, in line with our philosophy as a Christian, liberal arts institution.
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