The Value of an Internship for Students

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Students should take advantage of internships to build connections and gain real world experience. Here's how it can help you in the future.

Internships are invaluable opportunities for individuals to get real-world experience and make connections in their desired field of work. Here are some compelling reasons why doing one or more internships are highly recommended by experts:

Internship programs can vary wildly depending on the duration you’re willing to commit, how they pay (or don't), as well as what kind of things you will be expected to do while there. What all these variations have in common though is that every internship opportunity offers a tremendous value that cannot truly be measured until it's done!

Allows You To Test Your Interests and Skills

Some people love video games and are convinced that becoming a game designer is the right profession for them. They enroll in an appropriate program, but halfway through they realize designing video games isn't as exciting or fulfilling as playing them, and working for a game developer is far less exciting from the inside. Now you have to go back to school all over again if your major changes! If only there was some way of finding out this crucial information before deciding on a path ... Luckily, doing internships helps test the waters without making such drastic decisions halfway into college courses; just boot up your PC with enough credits under your belt and get ready for life outside of academia instead!

Provides Valuable Work Experience

When you start a new position, everything can seem daunting. You have to make sure your clothes are appropriate and that you arrive on time every day. It is imperative that immediately after being hired for the job, you know your company's protocols - how co-workers and supervisors communicate and interact, how to react to deadlines/assignments assigned by your supervisors in order not to be reprimanded or fired (which sadly happens very often).

Internships exist just for this purpose: preparing young professionals like yourself who need more experience navigating office atmospheres. An internship is essential if you want anyone in any type of professional setting to take you seriously- which is why it's important that every student have one to three internships on their resume.

Provides Insight Into Skills Necessary For That Career

We don’t always recognize the skills that are necessary for a career until after we have actually taken up a job in that field. The experience of searching for an internship can provide clues as to what skills companies look for in employees. The process often helps us identify the specific skill sets that are necessary and more important than we thought before.

Internships Help You Build A Strong Resume

New graduates start to realize quickly that most companies look for people with relevant work experience already completed; but how does someone without any previous experience find paid employment? That’s where internship opportunities come into play! Interning solves two problems: It shows you've taken initiative and have some first-hand work experience. Secondly, you can say that you know what it's like to do the day-to-day tasks of a position available—and this will help you stand out from other applicants who only have coursework or personal projects under their belt.

If you are looking for a job as an inexperienced graduate, the best way to get your foot in the door is with internships. Firstly, interns show their initiative and have some first-hand work experience on file at all times. Secondly, they can say that they know what it's like to do the day-to-day tasks of each position available—and this will help them stand out from other applicants who only have coursework or personal projects under their belt.

Increases Your Awareness Of Your Strengths And Weaknesses

Do you have the skills and initiative to solve problems or does your strength lie in communicating with others?  Do you work better as part of a team or are you more productive, efficient, and capable when working independently? We each need to know what we're good at so that we can find jobs that suit our strengths best while avoiding tasks that would require us to do things we're not suited to. It's difficult, if not impossible, to make any kind of career decision without these data points.

Widens Your Network Of Professional Contacts

As a college student, it's unlikely you have a strong, well-built network of industry/professional contacts.  The best way to know other professionals is by working with them and internships are the perfect way to do this.

If you are hardworking, diligent, and reliable, they are more likely to remember you even after you have finished the stint with the company. You never know how and when these professional contacts could open doors for you when you are ready to interview for your full-time job. For this to happen you have to take your internship seriously and make time to meet as many professionals at your company as possible.

In conclusion, internships are a great way for college students to test their skills and build the experience necessary to land the perfect job. I hope this blog post helps people understand why they should pursue internships while in school.

We know this process can be intimidating, and that’s okay! If you’re looking for more help click this link to schedule a consultation. Our mission at PathMatch is to help you throughout this process. We can give you a better chance of finding the first job that you are sure to love.

PathMatch is an innovative, tech-enabled platform that helps college students find their perfect career and employers find the right talent for internships and entry-level jobs.  We match students to modern, digitally enabled careers by using a proprietary algorithm that matches skill sets with employer needs. PathMatch's last-mile training program provides content/curriculum to help students build relevant skills while connecting them with matched employers for internships or full time jobs. 

Want more internship tips and tricks along with hundreds of other awesome job-finding content? Download the Pathmatch app to discover companies that match your interests, strengths, and goals! Pathmatch can help find the perfect career fit for you! 


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