Going to college is supposed to give you knowledge for your career after graduation, but what about gaining experience?

I am an incoming senior at The University of North Alabama, and I am majoring in journalism. Having a major like mine, or really any major for that matter, requires having real-life experience in the field.

I began my experience in journalism as early as high school, but gaining experience can begin at any moment. You just have to know where to start.

If you go to a university, I suggest finding the career services department, or something similar, and talking to them about the career field you want to go into. Ask if there are any internships or shadow positions you could apply for. These are especially useful for those who have recently swapped majors.

Another tip is to go on websites, like Indeed or SnagAJob, to see if there are any postings for internships in the field you have chosen. It's more than likely that there will be something there. Even if you believe the job is out of your league, it never hurts to apply, even if you don't get the position.

Having experience in your career field only makes you a stronger candidate for jobs you apply for in the future.

College is a great place to build this experience because you get to apply the knowledge you are learning in class to real life practices.

You can never have too much experience either. Even though I have been working in my field since high school, I am continuing to apply for new internships and continuing my involvement in organizations and extracurriculars that help expand the knowledge I have gained. You will always learn something new wherever you go and in whatever you do.

It is never too late to start gaining experience before beginning your career. You just have to get motivated and find places that will be willing to work with you, places willing to help you learn how it is in the real world.

Make sure to work for different places because no two places will be alike. And you can learn different things at different places.

Go out and find that kick-starter for your career. Then try your hardest.

You are learning how to do what you want to do for the rest of your life, and that is important.