{"id":27216,"date":"2018-06-17T05:14:30","date_gmt":"2018-06-17T10:14:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.backtobasicslearning.com\/?p=27216"},"modified":"2018-11-13T12:02:43","modified_gmt":"2018-11-13T17:02:43","slug":"summer-is-the-perfect-opportunity-for-an-internship-heres-how-to-find-the-right-one","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/backtobasicslearning.com\/summer-is-the-perfect-opportunity-for-an-internship-heres-how-to-find-the-right-one\/","title":{"rendered":"Summer is the perfect opportunity for an internship. Here’s how to find the right one!"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"HowFor college students, often with tens of thousands of dollars in student debt hanging overhead, choosing to embark on an unpaid or low paying internship can be a leap of faith. The real world experience and networking opportunities gained through an internship, however, can far surpass the instant gratification of the meager paycheck earned at a temporary job.<\/p>\n

The benefits of an internship are so great in fact, that, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), \u201c\u201cResearch supporting the positive role that experiential learning plays in the career outcomes of college graduates has prompted institutions to consider the internship as an important curricular option<\/em>.\u201d<\/p>\n

Why commit to an internship?<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Resume Booster.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>If the most challenging job you\u2019ve held by the time you\u2019ve graduated college is working the counter of local ice cream shop, you\u2019re in trouble. Potential employers want to see how grads handle real world problems, most notably within their field of study. How do they work as part of a team? How innovative can they be when searching for solutions? An unpaid internship provides relevant, real world experience.<\/li>\n
  2. Job Generator.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>In highly competitive fields, an internship may be the only chance a student has to get \u201ca foot in the door.\u201d And, a\u00a0recent study\u00a0of university graduates shows that students who completed an internship were\u00a013% more likely<\/em>\u00a0to find a full-time job upon graduating! Plus, an unpaid internship is often a dress rehearsal of sorts and can lead to a job offer upon completion.<\/li>\n
  3. Networking, Networking, Networking<\/em><\/strong>.\u00a0<\/strong>Even if a job offer isn\u2019t extended at the conclusion of an internship, the networking value of interacting with professionals in a specific field of student cannot be overstated. Professional references, unlike character references, must be earned. And, those gained from a professional internship can prove invaluable for many years.<\/li>\n
  4. College Credit.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>According to Internships.com<\/a>, \u201cAn internship with credit towards graduation combines academic coursework with relevant work experience. Some colleges don\u2019t give credits for any internships or only to juniors and seniors. Check with your professor or department chair to find out if your college accepts academic credit.\u201d And, with college credits valued anywhere from $250\/credit hour for public, in-state university to $1000+ per credit hour for a private four-year college, your internship just \u201cearned\u201d some serious cash.<\/li>\n
  5. Professional Etiquette 101.\u00a0<\/em><\/strong>This is your opportunity to witness the realities of the workplace environment, first-hand. From appropriate dress code, to working as a team, to understanding your role and accepting authority, to proper office, phone and email behavior. These are lessons you simply won\u2019t learn in class.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    How to find the right internship for you<\/strong><\/h4>\n

    Of course, not all internships are created equally. Here\u2019s how to get started:<\/p>\n