Landing a full-time job right after college graduation is the ultimate goal of students today, and I was fortunate enough to do just that. I graduated from Drexel University in March, accepted an internship at Buchanan Public Relations in April, and joined the staff as its newest full-time employee in July.
After being a full-time team member for a few months now, I am looking at the potential intern interviews through a new lens. As a former job-seeker, I know what it’s like to want the big, full-time job right away. My greatest piece of advice? Take the internship.
The only reason I am a full-time employee with Buchanan today is because of my decision to take an internship, and it was easily the best decision I could have made for myself and for the beginning of my career. Here are some reasons why you should accept an internship, too.
- You obtain real-life experience. Internships provide the real-life experience you need to see before going out and doing it yourself. Classwork teaches you the basics of WHAT is done, while an internship teaches you to apply what you’ve learned in the professional world and learn HOW it’s done.
- You receive really great advice. Some of the best career advice I received was during my internship. Everyone you talk to is genuinely interested in seeing you succeed and wants to provide you with every little tidbit of helpful information to get you there. Whether I chose to stay at Buchanan or not, I felt like I was equipped to be successful anywhere.
- You build an amazing contact list. Once you get to know the people you work with, they become great contacts to help you after you leave. My previous internship was with the Philadelphia Eagles, and I’m still in touch with my former co-workers there from time to time. LinkedIn is a great way to stay connected, as well. I learned that the Eagles were a previous client of Buchanan a few years ago and having your contacts overlap really helps to strengthen your professional network.
- You can get your feet wet. An internship is the perfect opportunity to see what your college major looks like as a well-oiled machine and if it is the right choice for you. You can take this time to really fall in love with what you want to do, or figure out what your next step is going to be.
Entering the job market is intimidating for a new graduate, but an internship can take the pressure off by allowing you to see what the job requirements will be, and if you are really happy with it. And if I can believe what I’m told, your happiness is the most important thing because if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life!
Do you have some great reasons to take an internship? Leave them in the comments below.