Value of Internships
Written by Lina Ramirez, GSW
When we are in college, academics become our number one priority and all else generally takes second place. Notice how I said priority and not our all, balance is key in all areas of our lives. Sure, we hang out with friends, become involved in team sports, and join clubs; but for the most part, our college life revolves around going to class, hitting the books, writing essays, and cramming in .as much as we can. That’s what we sign up for when we come to college, to receive knowledge in the areas of our interests and/or in the field we hope to one day work in. Nevertheless, we sometimes lose track of the fact that as important as our theoretical and academic knowledge is for our future; there are other highly valuable activities that enrich our college experience and prepare us for success in the future. One of them being, the practical experiences we can gain from the involvement in internships.
Regardless of your area of interest or the career field you envision yourself working in the future, becoming involved in an internship throughout your college experience can certainly benefit you and help you prepare for what’s to come after college.
Here are 10 reasons to seek an internship during your time in college. Internships can:
1). Help you discover what your interests in your specific field are. You will start recognizing what you like and dislike professionally.
2). Connect you with industry professionals and help you begin networking.
3). Allow you to learn in a safe environment. You don’t have to know everything; you are an intern and employers know it.
4). Enable you to begin incorporating work-life balance and what that looks like specifically for you.
5). Boost up your resume and have something to point out in future interviews.
6). Produce character growth by allowing you to identify your strengths and areas of growth, both personally and professionally.
7). Provide the opportunity to work in multidisciplinary teams towards a common goal.
9). Encourage you to put classroom theory into practice.
10). Introduce you to the world of professionalism and work/office protocols.
Check out what our Graduate Student Workers (GSW) have to say about their own internship experiences:
“Having internship experiences on your resume can double the chance of recruiters reviewing your profile. So, I highly encourage college students to look for internships during summer break even if you are a rising sophomore or junior.” -Jim
“The internship offered me hands-on experience that allowed me to connect theoretical knowledge received in the classroom with real-life applications that have an economic impact.” – Olubunmi
“During my undergrad where I majored in psychology, I did two different internships. Having this variety helped me envision where I did and did not see myself in the future while at the same time confirming my passion for the field. In fact, it encouraged me to take the next step to get my master’s in mental health counseling which is what I’m currently pursuing.” – Lina
“My undergraduate degree did not require me to have an internship. However, I sought to work a part-time job throughout my undergrad. This job gave me the required work experience to later expand my career. I learned a lot about teamwork and managing internal processes in an international company. It is because of this job that I found my interest in business administration, which is the field of study that I’m now pursuing in my MBA”. – Bianca
