Why do an internship?
October 12th, 2009
It is internship week, the biannual conversation between students and employers about testing out career interests in the workplace. Over the next four days employers representing a variety of fields will visit campus to discuss their opportunities and selection process. Students attending the panel discussion can bring their resumes and talk to the employers after each presentation.
Why do an internship? Over that past five years there has been a dramatic change in how employers select college hires. In the past a great GPA, leadership of an organization and participation in a community service project guaranteed a first interview. Today, employers value work experience more than GPA. And, for the student who has decided to explore a career field outside of their major, an internship adds instant credibility to a resume. The answer to ‘why?’ is ‘why not?’
How do you define an internship? Let’s say you have been working at a part time job, is there a difference? Here are a couple of things you should consider. Are you acquiring skills that will apply to your career field? Have you been given responsibility to manage a project? Does your supervisor provide you with developmental feedback? At the end of each work day, do you find you are closer to your career goal through the work you have accomplished or the people you have met? If the answers are all positive, the label doesn’t matter.
What matters is that you take the time to understand your options. Sitting in your room by yourself does not get you closer to this understanding. You may find a lot of information on the internet, but you need the personal connection to evaluate if you can be successful in your field.
Take some time this week to visit the CPPC in the Student Union and attend one or more of the panel discussions. You don’t need to go buy a suit, just come as you are. If you miss one of the panels, go to the podcasts. It is not too late to start planning for your spring internship.