The Importance of an Internship Can’t Be Overlooked
In today’s job market, employers are looking for candidates who can easily and quickly transition from being students to full-time employees. This is why internships are more important than ever. College internships are one of the best mechanisms for students to explore a field of interest while gaining valuable, hands-on experience. Students also have the chance to test-run the knowledge they have gained and learn about an industry in ways that are impossible to learn in a classroom. Important skills such as communication, teamwork, time management, and other technical knowledge are gained during internships as well.
Over the course of an internship, students are given an opportunity to “test drive” many different types of work, some of which they may come to realize they don’t prefer doing. And that’s okay! Conversely, they may unexpectedly find an area they knew little about but really enjoy. Student interns also have the opportunity to learn from mentors in their field of study. Not only is a student gaining valuable experience by observing, exploring, and participating in hands-on tasks during their internship, they are also building a professional network which can be useful when searching for future employment opportunities.
In today’s competitive world, it is crucial for students to make an internship a priority. If a student has a relevant internship noted on their resume, it gives them a competitive advantage over other candidates applying for the same position. Entry-level candidates that have interned previously are more likely to have the skills to make a difference when they start a new position and can hit the ground running without a lot of training. This is invaluable to an employer!
Often, an internship can lead to a full-time position. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, just over 70% of employers offer their intern’s full-time jobs and almost 80% of students accept these offers. Here at B&L, we offer internships in all of our practice areas. We offered 80% of our interns full-time positions post-graduation in 2021, and they all accepted!
Unsure where or when to start researching an internship? The best time to search for an internship is your sophomore or junior year. However, companies can start looking for interns up to a year in advance. Interested students should check out their college’s upcoming career fairs or contact the college’s career center to learn more about opportunities available.
Barton & Loguidice is always searching for our next great intern class as well as entry-level staff members. Visit our internships page to learn more about the process and see when we’ll be on your college campus!