The True Value of Internships

As spring semester is coming to a close, reality is setting in. Graduation is near (or has already passed for some of you), and the stress is overwhelming. School-project deadlines are approaching, upcoming final exams, and the biggest struggle of all: job searching.

If you haven’t started searching for jobs, do it now! For months I have been stalking Indeed, CareerBuilder, Charitable Advisors and various organizations’ websites for available positions. The biggest issue I’m having is a lack of experience/education.

I’ve started thinking maybe I’m just picky or aiming too high. A position of Assistant Director could be a leap for a recent graduate, but it somewhat matches my ideal job description. Could there be a person in a level below the assistant director who could be promoted and I’d take their spot?

My biggest regret in college is only participating in one internship. If I had known I would need about 1-5 years of professional experience for a career after graduation, I would have taken an internship every semester. Don’t get me wrong, my employment history of part-time jobs displays soft skills and other experience that could be relevant to my ideal career. However, it falls short of the required professional experience in marketing, event management, public relations or a related field.

Aside from gaining experience to put on my resume, there is so much I could have learned through internships. I think it’s impossible to learn all of the skills you’ll need in the professional world through a classroom. Experiential learning is a great way for students to gain knowledge, that can’t be obtained in a lecture hall.

I hope my experiences encourage you to consider pursuing multiple internships. You can gain experience in your field that looks great on your resume, and narrow down what you want to do after graduation.

Though my time at Indiana INTERNnet was short, the impact was tall. I’ve learned the true value of internships and the importance of gaining experience in my field. Sometimes a college degree isn’t enough for your dream job — that’s where professional experience acquired through internships can play a role. I’d like to thank Indiana INTERNnet’s team for opening my eyes, and I hope other students learn from my regrets.