Internships are Key to Building Your Resume
If you're graduating and haven't done any internships, don't despair: The job market is tough, but if it forces you to seek out an internship instead of a job as a lifeguard or fast-food chef it may be for the best. It will give you material you'll need to build a professional resume and it will provide some qualifications and accomplishments, too.
An internship gets you actual experience that can improve your chances at a job after you graduate. You get to apply your knowledge in a professional work place. You'll want that experience because it can open doors later. It will also give you confidence, with the realization that you can play with the pros. It will also give you the motivation that comes from applying knowledge rather than simply turning out term papers.
We are still in a challenging job market. Graduates of Yale and Stanford are not having an easy time finding positions. Increasingly, employers want to hire people that have already gotten some real world experience. If you are creative, there's a good chance you can find an internship in your field.
In addition, instead of an internship you can volunteer for a non-profit organization. The value to your resume is similar. Not to mention that these experiences will help you understand what it's like to work in an organization that needs to get things done.
Interns have helped lawyers research and write briefs; they've worked on creative ad campaigns; they've written articles for renowned financial websites; developed specifications for computer products. That is quite different from the experience you receive sitting in a lecture with a couple of hundred other students.
Still skeptical? Are there successful people who gained experience as an intern? News anchor Brian Williams interned in the Jimmy Carter Administration. Fashion designer Betsey Jonson had an internship at Mademoiselle magazine where she started making clothes out of fabric rejected by everyone else. Jodie Foster worked as an intern at Esquire magazine. Bill Gates spent a summer as a Congressional Page. (He sold old campaign buttons to make some extra money.) Brooke Shields was an intern at the San Diego zoo.
It's becoming common and necessary, in fact, to get an internship. You'll need a resume when you graduate from college and if you can show some on-the-job experience, you'll make a good impression.
Networking is another important part of an internship. While in college it's tough to get to know the people who can advance your career. During a summer internship you can meet dozens of them.
Most importantly, you'll have an experience that is closer to working in your field than any summer job can offer. Look into internships to help your career.
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