I had plenty of aspirations when I was younger. First, I wanted to be a firefighter, but then I realized I didn’t want to wear all of that gear. Another time, I wanted to be a police officer, but I quickly realized I wasn’t prepared to put my life on the line every day.
Finally, I decided I should further my education in the field of journalism–particularly sports journalism.
One day in school, I was introduced to an important new concept: an internship.
I soon learned that having an internship under my belt would be crucial when interviewing for a job, since it could mean the difference between getting the job I wanted or having it passed on to someone else.
With my love for sports journalism, an internship would be vital for me in order to become a sports writer.
Many people say college is challenging enough with studying and classes alone. However, we all need to make sure that we are able to show our future employers we can juggle multiple tasks at once.
An internship shows them that you have the experience and the skills necessary to keep up with today’s hectic work world.
Let’s face it, the economy doesn’t favor students who enter the workforce immediately after college. The competition is fiercer these days than ever.
The four years you spend at a university are key, but what if you are able to help yourself in the long run with an internship?
It is true that an internship takes up a lot of time. There are days I find myself just going to class, doing homework, getting meals and going to my internship.
When that happens, I just think of the opportunities that lie ahead because I’m getting a good experience at a young age.
When I do get the job that I desire, I will remember the opportunity I had a few years before as an intern. I will remember that it put me in a better position in life.
If you don’t have an internship, it doesn’t mean you will end up unemployed for the rest of your life, but an internship does give you a chance to stand out against the competition.
Sometimes, working for free doesn’t seem like the best thing in life, but the experience may be worth it. College kids are working to make money in the future. Right now, take advantage of the tools that college gives you outside of the classroom.
Look into an internship or two, or even three. There is no such a thing as too many.