Internships and Why They Are Important as College Students

If you’ve ever looked at job postings these days, you know that it is nearly impossible to find a job that doesn’t require at least 3-5 years of “prior experience.” As a fresh college graduate, how are you supposed to get the experience in the first place? The thought of meeting this requirement can be pretty anxiety-inducing. However, there is a solution that can provide you with that sought-after experience: internships. 

Why Internships are important:

Internships are a great way to gain the prior experience required for most jobs out there, and they are vital in getting a feel for real-world job experience before graduating. And who says internships are only for those completing their undergrad? Tons of companies hire recent graduates, even for extended periods – the perfect opportunity for those (like me) who are still trying to figure out what they want to do once they leave Chico State. 

Networking, resume building, and career exploration are significant advantages of internships. Even by just applying for internships, you achieve something by getting your name out there to different companies and employers in your field of interest. You are making more and more professional connections, and even if you don’t land the internship, you have just expanded your network by reaching out – so don’t forget to add them to LinkedIn! Any internship, regardless of its length, is something to add to your resume that will undoubtedly enhance it for future employers, and it can open the door to new scholarship opportunities. Internships are also great because you can consider them a trial run for your future career. Even those who are sure of what they want to do, you never truly know until you’re doing it already. Internships are great for testing the waters for post-graduate careers. They can help you narrow down what you like or maybe clarify what you’re not so passionate about. All internship experience is valuable in some form.

Finding the right internship: 

What are your goals?

When searching for internships, you must first consider what you hope to gain. When reading through the job description and duties, ask yourself, “Is this something I can see myself thriving and learning from?” Also, dive deeper into each company and see if their goals, values, and what they support are all qualities that you can visualize yourself supporting as well. 

Where to look:

Start your search by looking at internships on LinkedIn and Handshake, and always appreciate the power of your college advisors and faculty for leads. If you know of a company that would be perfect to work with and learn from, reach out to their hiring director or whichever department lead you wish to work under, ask if they are accepting interns for the summer, and send them your resume. Most of the time, companies don’t advertise that they’re looking for interns but are willing to take on the extra help and support college students on their journeys. But if all else fails, that is one more person you connected with, and if you ever reencounter them professionally, they are already familiar with your resume and professional experience. 

Interview them as well:

When narrowing down your potential internships, research the company culture to see what working alongside them is like. I suggest looking at the companies’ ratings on platforms like LinkedIn or Indeed, where current and past employees rate their experience working for that company. It can be really insightful on what kind of environment a company and its employees create—and can sometimes be eye-opening. 

Takeaways:

Take advantage of the resources at Chico State that can help aid your internship hunt, such as the Career Center, Job Fairs, or guidance from your advisors and supporting faculty. Also, be more active on LinkedIn by connecting with Chico State alums in your field or employees from companies you admire. The first thing hiring directors do once they receive your resume is to look you up, so be sure to impress them with your online network! 

Internships provide insightful knowledge and experience to those who apply and put themselves out there. They are great for networking, building your resume, and narrowing down what you do or don’t want to do upon graduating. Internships are also crucial for creating a foundation for real-world job experience skills. 

• career
• college
• internships