Internships: Getting Your Foot in the Door

In light of the economic crisis our country is facing, getting a job after graduating college is difficult, to say the least. There is one thing, however, that can put college students at an advantage- pursuing an internship.

According to http://career-advice.monster.com, employers say that internship experience is the most important factor they consider in hiring new college graduates. Internships can help students gain knowledge of the industry they plan to pursue after they graduate, and give them an advantage when applying for positions after graduation.

Learning skills in the classroom is one thing, but putting them to use in a work setting is far different. Firsthand experience is the best way to truly learn about a particular industry. Internships give students an opportunity to build their communication and teamwork skills.

Making professional contacts and networking is also a key aspect of internships. While working with professionals in a field of work, interns can gain knowledge, references, advice and information about future job opportunities. Getting experience is a wonderful way to boost your self-esteem and have confidence when going into a job interview.

Completion of an internship is a wonderful addition to a resume. It makes your resume a more complete package. Think of it this way, if you were an employer who interviewed two candidates, one had experience through an internship, and the other had a good GPA, but no internship, who would you hire? The candidate most likely to get the job would be the one with direct experience in the field of work.

Completing an internship within a company can increase the chances of getting hired full-time in that particular company after completion. Employers often like to have interns work for them to see if they would be acceptable candidates for future employment. Interns who are driven and ambitious have a better chance of obtaining a permanent job within a company.

So work hard during an internship because they might become a future employer. If you do not plan to work for the company, they maybe useful for a strong letter of recommendation.

Internships can be paid or unpaid. Casey Rule, Senior Psychology major said, “I did my internship at Philhaven Mental Health Facility. The internship was not paid, but the amount of experience I gained was priceless. I am planning to get a full time job at Philhaven after I graduate.”

Instead of focusing on one particular industry for an internship, students may want to try out different fields of work for internships to see which career is best for them. An internship may make a student want to change their major because, after working in a particular line of work, they realize it is not ideal for them. It is better to know you do not like the major you have chosen while you are an undergraduate and still have time to change it.

In order to be eligible for an internship through Millersville University, a student must have completed at least 24 credits (12 credits completed at Millersville for transfer students), have a GPA of at least a 2.0, and a declared major or minor. Every department at Millersville has their own set of requirements for internships.

Students interested getting an internship through Millersville University can go to the website http:// www.millersville.edu/ices/internships/lets-get-started. Here, students can fill out the online orientation. After completion of the orientation, the student must sign the Request for Academic Internship form, which then must be signed by the department’s faculty internship coordinator. After the forms are signed, the student must take them to the Internship Office. The Internship Office is located in the Bedford House on George St. across from the SMC.

Students can select jobs they wish to apply for on the Millersville University internship database and make an appointment with someone at the Internship Office to review the positions. The Internship Office will send the student’s resume to employers. The employers will contact the student directly. If a student gets offered a position and accepts, they must follow up with the Internship Office to sign up for a registration session.

It is a wise decision to pursue an internship whether it is paid or unpaid. In today’s competitive job market, no one can afford to be inexperienced. To get the latest information and updates on new internships, follow MUINTERNSHIP on Twitter.