Paid or unpaid, internships can serve to be great value both for students and employers. Tara Lynn Wagner filed the following report.
For college students, learning isn't confined to a classroom. In fact, one of the most instructive experiences they can have is an internship. That's because an internship allows a young person to try on a particular field and learn about the different jobs that exist in it. It also gives students something concrete to put on their resume.
Liz Wessel of CampusJob.com says paid or unpaid, it's still work experience, and that's the number one thing potential employers are looking for.
"It's not your GPA. It's most of the time not even your major. They want to see where have you worked and did you do a good job," Wessel says.
As for students, the number one thing they're looking for is a chance to roll up their sleeves and learn.
"I'd say what I'm looking for out of an internship is just getting the real-world experience," says NY1 intern Jeff Coltin.
"I want to get the hands-on experience," says NY1 intern Florence Mafomemeh.
"For me, it's definitely gaining experience in the field that I'd like to pursue, and also direction," says NY1 intern Valerie Theofanis.
Which is another great benefit of interning. Students get to learn from the experiences of those around them, maybe even meet a mentor along the way.
"It's really important that they find someone who they can trust and rely on for future career advice," Wessel says.
"The mentorship that you can get from people in your profession is totally invaluable," says Lily Bahramipour, an intern with NY1.
Of course, a truly successful internship is a two-way street. Employers stand to gain as well.
"If they're good, there's no reason why if you have the headcount, you shouldn't try to hire that student for full-time work after that student graduates," Wessel says. "I've also seen that employers really try to take advantage of the fact that college students are really tech-savvy, and so very often, we'll find interns will take care of the social media of the company or trying out new kind of methods of digital marketing."
Finally, whether you land an industry-related internship or get a part-time job in a coffee shop, pay attention. Every responsibility you have can be translated into a marketable skill.
"Customer service experience. Sales experience. If you're working at a register, and maybe it's counting dollars, but you also ask them, 'Hey, do you want that piece of gum?', that's upselling right there," Wessel says. "So you know, it's really important that college students really evaluate the kind of skills that they're getting and put it on their resume."