How many times have you heard an article begin with "in today's tough economic times...."? Probably ten too many! But, there's a lot of truth in changing your strategy when jobs just are not available. Of late, it's become much easier for new graduates to secure internships (paid and unpaid) than jobs. Sometimes a strong internship can help catapult you into your dream job. And, for the current student, internships are an absolute MUST no matter what state our economy is in. Scholastics are great. A 4.0 will certainly get you second look on a recruiter's desk. But, what seperates the student from the future employee is relevant EXPERIENCE.
First, let's define an intern. An intern is one who works in a position with an emphasis on job training rather than simply employment. Interns can be paid or unpaid and most are within some sort of college affiliation. Internships may be full or part time.
I can give you my success story 1000 times. Throughout my years at Siena College, I engaged in 3 unpaid internships (J-Records, Island 94.3 Radio, and Times Union Media) which all led to job offers either within the those respective organizations or elsewhere. And, while I was waiting for those offers, all of them were huge helps in boosting my resume!
Internships are a great way to "beef up" your resume! Take a look at my friend, Jonathan. A blogger and film guru, he spent some well deserved time off with some serious film industry big wigs in Los Angeles. This unpaid on-site internship may or may not lead to job. But, since Jonathan is a self employed blogger, this may have led to some really great contacts and possible future employment, should he decide to go that route. Just as important, he is doing what he loves while keeping his skills sharpened!
Internships can also lead to landing you the "gig." My former intern, George, was offered full time employment over the summer. And, with the school year underway, he is still able to work with the company, part time, pairing his scholastics with some great on-the-job training. My wonderful fiance, Kristina, also comes from an industry where exceptional interns are usually hired for future employment.
Externships are also a great way to gain employment. Ask my good friend and college roommate who participated in a summer externship in the accounting field. Upon returning to campus his senior year, his externship led to gainful employment, complete with start date, at one of the "Big 4" accounting firms! To clarify, an externship is similar to an internship, but without job duties. It's a way for prospective employees and employers to observe one another through job shadowing and social interaction. Externs benefit by finding out more about the field and staff in that industry. And, employers benefit by learning more about a prospective applicant before making employment decisions.
A few things to remember when starting that internship:
While you deserve to be in that desk, your work is not close to done. Don't just take an internship to jot it down on your resume. Truly take the time to understand that business, your role (or future role), and what you can do to improve that situation. If you're going to sit on Facebook all day, you can do it at home with a cool beverage!
Remember that you have a lot to learn and offer! So, be vocal. Ask your manager/Internship Director if you can take on more responsibilities. If they have nothing to give you, ask if you can traverse some other departments.
Let your boss/manager know about your intentions. If you're looking for further employment, ask them what you can do to help your situation. If they are not hiring, ask if they would consider writing you a recommendation. Always be polite in your requests!
Don't just work, NETWORK. This includes managers, employees, other interns, and even vendors and customers! You're going to meet dozens of people in your field who all know you're looking for employment. Don't take it for granted!
For further information about internships, feel free to drop by Nancy Isreal's office in Casey 103. You can also e-mail her nisreal@molloy.edu.
For help with your resume, you may want to stop by the Career Development Center right at Molloy!
