A Degree May Not Be Enough...5 Reasons Why College Students Should Complete An Internship

Guest post by Lauren Towle, Class of 2012

You’re about to earn your degree, so finding a job should be easy right? Well...maybe not.  Many employers prefer potential employees with some experience. 

Is there a way for students to acquire much-needed career experience during college? Yes...it's actually rather simple: get an internship.

Not convinced as to why internships are important? Here are five reasons to help you make your decision:

1. Gain Real World Experience.

With internships becoming more common, employers are starting to expect at least one completed during college.  They not only give an added boost to your resume, but they give you experience to apply to your actual career as well as a healthy dose of personal confidence. Having an internship can help eliminate the common fears students have about the “real world.”

2. Test Drive Your Career Choice.

Internships show an employer that you have an idea of what is expected of you once you're hired. Also, you'll get an inside glimpse of what you will be doing after you graduate. This allows you to test drive your career and can help you decide whether you're on the right path...or whether you need a course correction.  

3. Internships Can Turn Into Jobs.

Not only do internships provide you with professional experience, they may lead to an job offer upon graduation. Many companies use them as a gateway to hiring employees. If you work hard and impress the right people, you may garner a job offer! And if not an actual job offer, you'll have some great professional references and an increased professional network.

4. Earn College Credit.

Many colleges grant 3-6 credits for internships - the equivalent to one or two classes.  These internships can be completed during semesters or the summer. Colleges work with many companies to help students find experience opportunities and they offer many resources.

5. Make Some Extra Money,

There are many different kinds of internships, including paid ones. If you can make money while learning how to work in your career of choice AND get college credit, then I’d say you've got it made! While unpaid internships also offer amazing opportunities to enhance what you're learning in class, making money can certainly help to lessen financial stress a bit.

The bottom line is this:  with the workforce becoming more and more competitive among graduates, it is imperative to gain experience that will make you a stand out candidate.  The more experience you have, the better you'll look against the 100s of other potential job applicants.

There is no way around it....do an internship! Visit your college career planning or experiential learning office for information on how to get started. Additional sources of internship information to follow in another post.  Stay tuned!


About Lauren Towle: 

Lauren Towle, Class of 2012, is a college senior majoring in public relations with a minor in marketing. She is two-time intern who has supplemented her in-class learning with real-world, practical experience and is looking forward to job searching, interviewing and beginning her next chapter.

Great Advice From HBR Blogger Jodi Glickman On Your First Job

If I had a dollar for every job seeker who harangued, gnashed teeth and agonized over accepting his/her first job, I'd be writing this from the lakeside dock at my Adirondack mountain retreat house.  Suffice it to say, I'm neither in the Adirondacks nor near a lake.

For new grads, a first job is the one taken after graduation.  But for moms returning to work, a first job can be the one she takes as she on ramps back to work and career.  In both examples, the first job decision can cause stress and uncertainty as job seekers ask themselves questions like, "Is this THE right job?" and "What will my future path be?"

In Jodi Glickman's recent post on the Harvard Business Review Blog Network, she explains that getting in the game is more important than the position you play.  Every job opportunity has inherent value in that you are learning, networking, honing skills and informing your internal interest/aptitude gauge. 

With today's job climate, the "numero uno, perfecto, match made in heaven" job opportunity can be elusive.  So rather than waiting for the job equivalent of Willy Wonka's golden ticket, broaden your horizons and be creative.  Think of the opportunity potential of a particular job rather than the obvious connections to your ultimate career goal. 

As for career goals, Glickman shares that a recent poll of 100 women leaders indicated that only 3% were on the same career path as the one they started travelling down upon graduation.  Hmm...kind of puts the gnashing and agonizing into perspective, huh?

Whatever your first job is, be the best (fill in the blank) you can be, taking advantage of all opportunities and networking as you go.  Get some positive momentum going, and you'll be off!!  Dr. Seuss, of course, says it best, "Today is your day. You're off to Great Places! You're off and away!" (from Oh! The Places You'll Go!)

All the best,
Carol
http://www.lookingfortheonramp.com/

Creating Space & Returning to Work

Create spaciousness so creativity can breath... 

so says my friend Claire O'Connor on a recent Enchanted Life facebook post.

Claire and her husband Ken help people live authentic, inspired and creative lives.  And this 6 word post is a pretty powerful mantra.   

When I originally read it, I was particularly struck by its application for job seekers, including moms returning to work.  Here's my slight redux, tweaked ever so slightly for my dear and wonderful job seekers: Create spaciousness so opportunities can appear.  

It's certainly not a necessity to declutter and organize in order to find a job and return to work.  But what I know is that it can sometimes make the difference between finding success and feeling stuck in place, with little positive momentum being gained.

What's in your environment that is creating a drag on you?  It could be a cluttered closet, an overburdened calendar, an overflowing junk drawer, or a car that is filled to the brim with the detritus of everyday life.  Whatever it is, the overall effect is the same.  It zaps energy and stops momentum in its tracks.  It's kind of like running in the pool...lots of energy expended, but not much distance covered.

Compare that to the zippy feeling of being organized and in control.  Ahhh...feel like you can rule the world, no?  

During job clubs, I sometimes give a take home assignment (or 'homeplay' to use the words of another wonderful friend and coach, Sierra J. Sullivan) to tackle an area of life that is cluttered or disorganized as a prep step for on ramping back to work. 

The result is often unanimous, with participants bubbling through the door sharing how amazing it feels to finally tackle something they had been putting off.  And by removing a negative, cluttered zone from their day to day, they've created space.  Perhaps that space is for creativity, self care or employment possibilities; things that couldn't enter because there simply wasn't enough space.

So, a challenge:  focus on 1 area and 1 area only to de-clutter or organize by the end of the weekend. Put it on your to do list and block out time on your calendar.  It doesn't have to be photo-shoot ready.  It just needs to be better than it was before - more airy and more spacious to create space for whatever your heart desires.  

If your project is a biggie (basement organizing - that's what I'm working on!), set a smaller goal for yourself that can be accomplished between now and the weekend.  For example, perhaps you'll just tackle going through 3 boxes or organizing holiday decorations.  

I'd love to hear how it goes.  Email me if you'd like to share!

All the best,

Carol

Volunteering and Your Next Career Move

Volunteering...that is, donating your time for a cause you care about and receiving no financial remuneration in return, can actually yield great career benefits.

Strategic volunteering is something I've been recommending to clients for quite a while.  And Careerbuilder writer Debra Auerbach's article, "Turn Your Volunteer Work Into a Career" (http://www.cnn.com/2011/10/10/living/volunteer-cb/index.html?hpt=li_c1) explains lists some of the same points that I share in my workshops and during client coaching.


If you'd like to learn more about strategic volunteering or aren't sure about how to get started, email me at carol@lookingfortheonramp.com.