What are Some Benefits of Interning?

Students who attend college in order to have a specific career can receive countless benefits from working as an intern for an organization. An internship provides students with the chance to gain real-world experience in their chosen career field. Interning can also allow students to earn a paycheck while receiving training in a professional position. On the other hand, some internships are unpaid, providing only college credit upon completion of the job. Whether paid or unpaid, an internship is a valuable experience for any college student.

Interning allows students to put into practice what they have learned in the college classroom. They receive hands-on training and learn what it is like to actually work in the field they are studying in school. Although classroom knowledge is invaluable, first-hand experience performing a particular job is just as important as experiences learned from a textbook.

Working as an intern at an organization is also an opportunity to determine whether a particular career is one that an intern actually wishes to pursue. When interning for the company, the student may ultimately decide that the career is not what she wants to do with her life. Although she may not be able to change her college major, she will know that she must pursue other internships that may be closer to what she would like to do after college.

Interning while in college provides students with the chance to network and form contacts with professionals in an industry she will eventually join. Building professional relationships while an intern can help the student get a job once she receives her degree. As an intern, she will meet clients or people in the workplace who can serve as valuable resources during the new graduate's job search.

When a student works as an intern, she is also in the position to impress the company who provides her with the interning opportunity. Working in the organization on a daily basis allows potential employers to observe a student's work ethic, strengths, and abilities. The employer can evaluate the intern and determine if she is a good fit for the organization. If the employer is satisfied with the student's job performance, the company may decide to hire her as a permanent employee upon graduation.

Working as an intern provides a student with the confidence that she will be better equipped to handle a career in her chosen field. Internships strengthen a job seeker's resume and show potential employers that a candidate has real-world experience performing a particular position. Since many professional positions require years of experience, an internship provides students with concrete evidence that they are capable of performing a specific job. Interning with an organization provides a student with the experience for which a corporation seeks.