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In the summer, it seems like every college student is interning somewhere. It’s annoying when all your friends are occupied by work, but if you can’t beat them, join them! ENTITY explains the five reasons you need a summer internship.
School is very different from the workplace. The classroom taught you some important skills, but you’ll also need hands-on knowledge to truly succeed.
Through an internship, students can learn networking, marketing themselves, landing interviews and polishing resumes. That way, they can be prepared for post-graduation job applications without worrying about their lack of experience.
Unfortunately, at school, it’s hard to land a part-time job that fits your schedule. So summer’s the perfect opportunity to learn these essential work skills.
It’s difficult to give up all that free time, but trust me. Your future self will thank you.
Around college, students really start to understand the importance of networking. It’s kind of drilled into our brains. My friends’ favorite joke is ending a conversation with “Add me on LinkedIn.”
As uncomfortable as it may be at times, work relationships are pretty essential. It’s hard to get your resume to the right person if you don’t know someone on the inside. But if you have a friend or a mentor in that industry, they’ll be able to give you a boost in that direction.
It doesn’t matter if you’re still a student; anyone can start building work relationships. You never know who could help you out in the future. And the best way to do that is through an internship—especially if that internship is in the same industry as your dream job.
So take advantage of your summer work experience. Make a good impression, build friendships and keep in touch!
But what if you wanted to spend your summer traveling? By interning abroad, you can do both! In fact, students can actually gain some significant financial aid for their travel expenses if they have an internship in another country.
You don’t have to travel outside the country to have a fulfilling cultural experience, though. Working in a new state or city for the summer can be just as different and exciting.
It’s also a way to explore future plans. For example, if you’re a film major, you would probably want to check out Los Angeles if you plan on working in Hollywood someday. By interning in LA, you can explore your next potential city of residence.
Not only can you explore new locations, but you can also explore different fields. If you’re not 100% certain on your major or career path, an internship can help narrow down your options! It’s better to realize you hate marketing at a temporary summer internship than at a permanent post-graduation job.
Students often complain that every time they try to get more “work experience,” they’re rejected for not having enough work experience. While this is frustrating and valid, there are ways around this seemingly endless cycle.
Summer internships at small companies or start-ups often target college students, so they’re the perfect place to start when trying to build your resume. After gaining internships at smaller companies, you usually have a better shot at landing internships at larger companies in the future, which allows you to further build seniority.
Of course, summer internships aren’t the only way to stay productive. But if you have one, you’ll probably have less time to spiral down the YouTube rabbit hole into egregiously late hours of the night.
Also, it’s likely that most of your friends will have summer internships. Without work, you could get pretty lonely from nine to five. An internship will occupy your time, keep your sleep schedule on track, establish a routine and give you a feeling of accomplishment at the end of the summer.
So if you landed a summer internship, congratulations! If you haven’t, start researching. To anyone looking for experience in SEO, journalism, digital media or writing, consider applying to ENTITY Academy 2019.
And if you’re still back-and-forth on whether an unpaid internship is worth it, check out these ways to finance your summer internship.
