Applying for a college internship program is beneficial to your future career.
In today’s very competitive employment market, one must take every available opportunity to get ahead of the pack. Studies show that college graduates who have internship experiences are three times more likely to get a job as compared to college graduates without any prior internship experience. Nowadays, most colleges and universities are encouraging their students to complete an internship making this as a requirement for graduation.
Why apply for an internship?
An internship is a useful method students can do in order to take a look at a company from an insider’s perspective. This is also a way to see if an industry or a specific working environment is a good fit for them. Furthermore, completing an internship will provide students with hands-on experiences and will expose interns to a wide range of career options that will guide them in making informed decisions after graduating from college. With this being said, internship undoubtedly provides the necessary work experience that students need for their future endeavors.
How to choose the best college internship program
Career experts say that the best time to beef up one’s resume is during college. This can be done by gaining relevant experiences through college internship programs. To be able to maximize this opportunity, students should look for an internship program that is both challenging and relevant to the future career path that he is looking at.
Here are a few important factors that you should consider if you are still on the process of deciding which internship program to apply for:
1. Take your college major into consideration.
When choosing an internship program, you must see to it that the job function that you will be doing is related to your major. This way, future potential employers would think that the experience and learning that you will gain during college internship is useful and relevant.
2. Think of the school subject that captures your interest the most.
Consider applying for an internship in an industry that is related to your favorite subject in school. This is one of the factors that can help you a lot in deciding which industry or company to apply to. Having a job that enables you to apply the concepts that you’ve learned in specific subjects will make you committed and motivated.
3. Choose between a large company or a small company.
Would you rather be a big fish in a small pond, or a small fish in a big ocean? Small and large corporations have different appeals, and will give different types of internship experiences to college students. Undergoing a college internship program in a large corporation will be a great addition to your resume. However, the level of knowledge and training that you will be gaining is incomparable to that of a smaller company.
In a large company, division of tasks is clear-cut and distributed among numerous units and departments, whereas in a small company, everyone is exposed to the whole business and its operations. This simply means, you will more or less be exposed to all tasks in all groups- from HR, to finance, operations, marketing, and business development.
4. It’s not about the money.
Any short-term stint with big pay, but is unrelated to the career path you want to pursue will pale in comparison to a hands-on experience and working knowledge that you will gain in a good college internship program. It is important to weigh the pros and cons of an internship program before fully committing.
5. Look for internships online.
In this day and age where everything is going digital, there are many college internship program opportunities that you may find online. This would not cost you a single dollar. Browsing through different sites will help you find a program that is tailor-fit for your major and for the career that you want to pursue.
6. Consider networking as your way to an internship program.
Experts say that networking is a very important part of career development. Why not put it to good use by finding people who are working in an industry that you are considering? Try to talk to your family, relatives, and friends– you’ll be surprised with what you will be able to achieve.
Undergoing a college internship program will greatly help you in gaining professional hands-on experience, future personal references, and a new perspective on the career that you wish to pursue. College is the best time to explore your career options, and no other way will help you more than being a student intern. Do not let career opportunities go to waste, and jump start your way to a bright future, career-wise.
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