Internships are so so so important and that can’t be stressed enough, especially to the incoming college freshmen who think they have plenty of time to prepare for the real world. But freshmen, trust me, it isn’t really a huge amount of time. These four years? They’re going to pass by SO quickly you won’t even realize it. If you get an internship as a freshman, you’ve automatically helped your chances of getting an internship you want the next time around. So suit up and start networking!!
- You get a feel for what your major is REALLY like. Maybe you thought being an accountant meant something but you realize that it’s a whole other thing. Now you realize that OK maybe this really is not for me before it becomes too late. Or maybe you understand that having just a marketing degree will not cut it and you need to have some technical background as well. So therefore, you decide to purse finance with your marketing degree so you become a more marketable person during your job interviews.
- They are the building blocks for your future. Well first off, you learn what it really means to “adult.” You learn how tiring a 9-5 job can really be. You even learn just how difficult it really is to earn money and just how quickly you end up spending that money. You learn how to deal with bosses who like to micromanage and you learn to deal with coworkers who are not necessarily so good at teamwork. You begin to understand how to handle constructive criticism well and you begin to realize this is the real thing so you really can’t screw this one up. Plus, you make great connections!
- You can even earn money. I mean who doesn’t want money, right?
- Don’t be fooled- they sometimes aren’t what you expect. Sometimes you might end up doing basic administrative work the whole time. You might not get to analyze tax return forms or work on the cool new robot your company is building. You might be stuck filing papers and laminating. On the other hand, don’t be disappointed if one day, you’re given the opportunity to help your boss with some forensic accounting and the next day, you’re being told to walk 20 minutes downtown to hand deliver a check to the bank. It happens. But hey, an internship is an internship, right?
- You learn a whole lot about yourself. Aside from all the valuable lessons you learn regarding your specific field of study, you learn the importance of basic office skills, especially time management. You learn how much you can challenge yourself to perform a task. You even learn that you know a whole lot more than you think you do. Sure, you know you can work for the sake of working, but you learn that you know how to work to succeed.
All this, well, I’m saying with experience. My internship may not have been the ideal internship, but it definitely was an extremely valuable experience. Half the skills and knowledge you learn working hands-on, your professor will never ever be able to teach you. So go out there and start building your ladder to success.
