Setting Sail? Consider an Intern-ship!

An Intern-ship can carry you to new and wonderful places!

As a student you are getting plenty of education; however, you may wonder how you are going to have any experience under your belt by the time you graduate and begin looking for work. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, a staggering 95% of employers say that experience is a factor in hiring decisions! What’s the best (and sometimes only) way to gain experience with no prior experience? Internships.

"Not only does participation in an internship make the student a more attractive candidate," says NACE Executive Director Marilyn Macke, "but it can also be an avenue to a job." Surveys show that hiring from the intern program is growing. Matthew Zinman of the Internship Institute reports that IBM hires up to 2,000 interns annually and converts more than half of them to full-time hires. Recruiting guru Dr. John Sullivan writes on the Electronic Recruiting Exchange that "the most effective sources I have worked with have consistently found that quality internship programs produce the highest quality candidates, the most productive hires, and the hires with the highest retention rates."

Some internships pay you wages, and others do not—but they are all worth it. With an internship on your resume, not only are you more attractive to hiring managers down the line, you are more valuable. Even in 2005, NACE reported that employers who hired entry-level candidates with internship/co-op experience paid them 6.5% more than those without experience. In addition, you could earn college credit toward your degree!

An internship is a great way to get an inside glimpse of a company, an industry, and a particular occupation, while building your network. In addition, it can help you discover if the career you are considering is the right fit for your foot, before you walk off the graduation stage. You may discover gaps between your classroom learning and what you need to know in the real world, and be better prepared (and more confident) when you arrive. Finally, you'll sharpen your personal tool-set by interacting with people on a professional level, something no classroom can offer!

Visit the Academic Internship Program for more information.