In the last five years, having an internship listed on your resume has been a huge benefit in the real world. Sure, having a college degree is great and all, but when you can say that you’ve had actual experience in whatever field you’re after, it puts you one step ahead of the game.
Recently, however, the marketplace has started to change.
Many students graduating remain unemployed, or underemployed in jobs that don’t even require a degree. According to The New York Times, “53.6 percent of college graduates under the age of 25 were unemployed or, if they were lucky, merely underemployed.” With numbers like that, having a lot of experience is important for soon-to-be graduates.
Internships have always been an added benefit to receiving a degree, from establishing relationships with colleagues to accumulating “real world” skills, but having just one internship under your belt may not be enough anymore. While many universities require an internship in the degree requirements for a variety of programs, there are still some that are lagging behind. Even if you attend a program that doesn’t require an internship, knowing that you went out all on your own and secured one can make all the difference to a prospective employer.
Having multiple experiences listed on a resume only benefits you in the future. For starters, you may find out the first week of your first internship that the field you thought you’d love is just not right. You’ll learn all the great and not-so-great stuff internships entail, so for your next one you’ll be better prepared and wow your employer!
There is nothing wrong with having just one internship, because with the increase in college tuition, it can be hard to make the time for an internship at all, especially if it’s non-paying. If you can afford to handle more than one, by all means, do it! For someone with a not-so-high GPA or who would like to score some references from people who actually see their hard work, having more than one internship can increase the chances of getting hired.
Having an internship is one of the best ways to transition from a student to a professional. More than one internship though, can make the difference from starting out in a job that isn’t for you, or starting out in your dream career.
Â
Â
Â
Photo Credit: propagandaak.com