Many people are going to get an internship at some point in their life. Whether it is just so you can have something on your resume or so that you can build connections to get a job in the future, you should start early. Even as a freshman, this is a concern for me.
I have already started thinking about places I would want to intern at and contacting them. This shows that you are proactive in your career and that you take their company and what they do seriously. Like I said before, it is really important to build connections with people that are already in the field that you want to go into.
Getting an internship is a great way to test out the career and make sure that is what you want to do after all. If you get an internship early on and it turns out you don’t like it, it gives you the opportunity to change your major and not be too far behind in getting your degree.
For some internships at large companies, such as ones in Washington, D.C., or New York City, prior internship experience may be required. By getting an internship early on, you are able to get an internship at the place of your dreams.
Another reason to get internship experience is because once you graduate and are looking for a job in your career field, it will get you a long way to be able to say that you have worked with the skills that you will need for your career not just in school but also in an internship environment.
Some internships pay. Yes, the internships that are paid are a lot more competitive than the ones that aren’t. There are college students that will simply not fill out an application for an internship just because it is not paid. While money is extremely important for students while we are in college, sometimes it is worth it to sacrifice money for experience.
Sometimes at the conclusion of internships, the organization may offer you a full-time position so that you can stay with them. However, this does not happen all the time. Make sure that you work tirelessly when you get that internship -- it could do wonders for your career.
Some internships that you do could count for college credit. There are certain qualifications for the internship for it to be able to count. Getting an internship can do more than just help your career, it could make enough of a difference in number of credits to allow you to graduate early or at the very least be able to take some of the classes that are offered by your university that you want to take.
Lastly, there are some internships that you can do strictly online. These kinds of internships allow you to get the internship experience that you might need for your career without compromising the money that you could be making.
Overall, getting an internship is very beneficial. Many future employers and people in your field will find it very impressive if you start worrying about your career when you are a freshman in college. Even if you wait to get an internship your junior or senior year, it is still important to have that experience. Good luck on your internship search and remember -- don’t just go for the paid ones!