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Hollywood loves to poke fun at interns, often portraying them as youthful coffee-fetchers, but the reality is pretty far from that caricature. Interns may be the youngest in the office, but their work is often quintessential to a business. A summer internship is most definitely worth looking into, and here are just a few of the reasons why.
Experience
This is the big one. Internships are all about experiences. No matter the field—whether its related to your intended career or not—you can learn a LOT about the working world from an internship. How to collaborate with coworkers, send professional communications, manage deadlines, solve problems, receive feedback, network, the list of attributes can go on and on.
And if you do manage to land an internship in a field you are studying or hope to work in, all the better for you! Now you can dip your toe into the industry and learn many valuable skills that will help you land a job after graduation—not to mention how you’ve made some industry contacts!
Resume Building
This one goes hand in hand with experience. Employers always look for internships within the resumes of their applicants, because they indicate hard work, dedication, and a level of responsibility. An internship is a must-have on any strong resume and will bolster your qualifications even further.
Pay
Ok, so this one may not apply to every single internship out there. Paid internships, however, are a true boon because not only do you get all of that great resume-building experience, but you also get paid for your hard work! Paid internships can often take the place of a summertime job, and so are greatly beneficial to your wallet. This is not to say, of course, that unpaid internships should be ignored—think of the experience as a long term investment.
Summertime Scheduling
Most, but not all, internships occur over the summer months when students aren’t in school. This is ideal for both student and employer since you don’t have to focus on tests, projects, assignments, or racing across campus—you can just focus on your summer internships and get the most out of it.
College Credits from Your Summer Internship
Some internships will offer college credit for your hard work. Sometimes in place of pay and sometimes in addition to it! Credits that you earn from your internship can help you towards graduation day! You may be able to take fewer classes in the long run, thus saving you money on textbooks and other fees!
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