Everyone knows what internships are – students essentially offer
themselves as temporary members of the organization in exchange for real work
experiences and networking opportunities. But does investing your hard earned
break from studying into an internship really reap benefits? This article
online explains further:
Are
internships worth it?
by John Fuller
If you're a college student with ears, you've probably heard
everyone talking about internships. Either they already have one set up, or
they desperately seek one, camping out in the career center between classes. So
what's the big deal? Shouldn't a degree be enough to get a job after
graduation? And isn't an internship a lot of useless work for little or no pay?
The pay issue is true -- it's difficult to find an
internship that pays well, if at all. The degree part is different, though.
It's becoming harder and harder for college graduates to find work right out of
college with nothing but a framed diploma. Most companies look for real world
experience when hiring
and the best way to get that experience is through an internship. Despite the
low pay, internships are worth it in the long run if you want to get your foot
in the door and figure out your future.
Most people think the point of an internship is to serve coffee or run mindless
errands. Everyone at some point has formed a negative image of the tortured
intern trapped in a cubicle,
filing endless amounts of paperwork. It's not always like that, though, and it
doesn't have to be. Sure, you may have to perform a few menial tasks here and
there -- that's part of any job. But most companies offer all kinds of
opportunities for interns to get hands-on experience and learn the right
technology.
You might work for a local news station and help edit
footage for an upcoming story. Or maybe you'll crunch numbers for a big sales
pitch and draw up all sorts of fun graphs (seriously, who doesn't like a good
pie chart?). Whatever the case, chances are you'll play an important part in
any process and receive a great opportunity to watch the real thing in action.
People who work around you are generally very open, knowledgeable and willing
to help, so ask as many questions as you can in order to get a more complete
picture of the career.
What's the best-case scenario? If you work hard enough and
impress the company, there's a chance they might offer you a full-time
position. Even if you decline and eventually decide to find work elsewhere,
getting an offer out of an internship will look great on a resume.
If you don't get an offer, that's OK, too. The company may
not have a position available, or maybe you just wouldn't want to work there.
An internship provides you with two great tools. First, you gain excellent real
world experience and a great resume builder. Second, you get an inside look
into a field of work you're interested in, helping you make that career path a
little less sketchy. The least an internship will do is get you thinking about
what you want to do for a living.
And so the question to ask now is, what is the best way to
go about it?
You could try your university’s career centers first, but did
you know that JobStreet.com lists internships online as well? Take the initiative
and start making lasting contacts by becoming graduates with quality,
work-related experience today.
Your
internships await for you here
P.s: The article above by John Fuller was courtesy of
www.howstuffworks.com
