Just going to college these days may not be enough to land a desired job in your field of choice.
There are so many college graduates these days that students may need something to set them apart beyond a high GPA.
That something would be internships.
Internships are important because they provide real-world experience. It’s one thing to get good grades, but it’s something entirely different to show proficiency in the workforce.
Let’s take a look at some reasons why internships are important.
Employers are Looking for Experience
Many employers use internships as a test run for future employees. They hire several employees, throw them into the work mix and see which ones perform best. The top workers could get permanently hired.
In a National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) survey, 95% of employers said worker experience is a factor in their hiring decisions.
Internships help provide students with the professional experience they need. Some employers won’t hire students who don’t have internship experience, so it can be a major asset during the job search.
Internships Help You Try Out a Career
Choosing a major may help students find a general path to follow, but internships let them actually try out specific positions. This can make it easier to find the right job.
Just as importantly, internships can help students figure out what they don’t want to do. Sometimes a job sounds appealing but doesn’t live up to the excitement. If this happens after an internship, students can reassess the type of job they want or the kind of company they want to work for.
Obviously, the earlier you find out work references, the better, so you don’t end up in a career field you dislike. Aside from figuring out what you like and don’t like, you’ll get a chance to develop new skills or sharpen existing ones.
Business Fields May Recruit Interns
In the 2014 Global Management Education Graduate Survey Report from the Graduate Management Admission Council, internships were among the most successful methods for landing a job, with 49% of graduates reporting that an internship led to a permanent position.
Meantime, accounting giant PricewaterhouseCoopers said 70% of its new hires came from its internship program. And IBM hires about 2,000 interns annually and ultimately hires about half of them. Getting a job is the ultimate post-college goal, so any steps that could help with getting hired are smart steps to take.
Other Points to Consider
Still not convinced? Consider the following:
- You can earn college credit and might even get paid.
- You start building a network of contacts.
- More and more colleges are requiring internships.
- You may get paid more when you graduate if you’ve completed internships. NACE reported back in 2005 that new hires with multiple internships received 6.5% higher salaries than those who hadn’t.
- Internships bolster resumes. It’s better to have career-relevant experiences on a resume than part-time jobs mowing lawns or other unrelated positions.
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