What if I told you that you could get the same, if not a better job, than the A+ student that you sat next to in class? Now don’t get me wrong, grades are important, and you should always strive to do your best. Although, what you do beyond the classroom is ten times more important than most of the tests you will ever take. Now, when it comes to law school and medical school, yes you do need to make the grades, but even those students are defined by the work they put in outside of class.
Primarily, I am talking about internships, and working in your field. What can separate you from the hundreds of other graduates coming out of every university? It's not your GPA, but the experience you gain through active participation. Think of it this way: say you are buying a car. The first car looks perfect and is rated one of the best cars on the market, but it has never been test-driven. The second car is not as highly rated as the first one, but two of your friends have taken it on a test drive and they say it is the best car out there. Would you rather take the unproven car that comes highly rated or the car that comes with good references? It’s almost like the Titanic, sure it’s not supposed to sink, but have you tested it's capacity to withstand a collision with an iceberg? On paper, some students look perfect, but have they faced enough experience to be able to keep up with the day to day work that comes with their field? That is why it is important to intern. You can get your feet wet with work experience before you are thrown into the job market. Employers will want to see that you have done this work before, and can jump in with minimal training.
In certain fields, like journalism, interning is also about meeting people and branding yourself. For example, my friend is trying to become a strength and conditioning coach for a university. In that field it's all about who you know. When he is interning at a university, it is important for him to make relationships with coaches, because one day they could be the one offering him a job, or they could be the people suggesting that someone else hire him. We always hear the phrase, “It’s all about who you know.” And it’s true! Most jobs know ask for references, and they wont accept your favorite teacher as a credible reference. They want to hear from competitors or employees that can speak from experience, and say with confidence that you are the right person for the job.
Sometimes internships are hard to come by. Don’t get discouraged. Find another way to gain experience. Take me for example, as a journalism major, I create all kinds of practical examples to show future employers. It can be a podcast or an article like this one, that can set me apart from every other journalism major out there. Also, take advantage of extracurriculars that your school offers. If you are trying to become someone in the business world, take initiative and be a leader of different organizations. It might not be a prestigious internship, but it shows that you are a leader and someone that your peers trust enough to lead them.
Overall, just don’t think that the D you make your freshman year, the grade that lowered your GPA, is going to be the end of you. Just keep working hard and take advantage of out of school opportunities, which can boost your credibility, and know that in the long run, you too can become the boss.
