Peer Advisor Spotlight: The importance of Internships
by Khelsi Clarke, CALS junior majoring in Information Science
Although it is still early in the fall, internship and job search season is approaching quickly. Internships are a valuable learning experience and can be instrumental when looking for jobs your senior year and beyond!
There are several reasons why internships are an important experience to have during your college years. First, and I think most importantly, you learn what kinds of jobs and work environments you do and do not like before you graduate. Through an internship experience you will find out if you prefer small local companies or large international companies. You may even realize that although you enjoy learning about a given topic you are not as interested in the work opportunities in the field. Finding out what career path you want to be on early in your college career is beneficial to picking a major that compliments your career goals. Second, you get the chance to apply the skills you have learned in the classroom to real world settings. You get to see first-hand what people in your field do on a day-to-day basis. Third, networking! When you intern you get to meet all sorts of people in various positions in career fields that interest you along with other interns within the company. Even if you decide on a different career path it is important to maintain a relationship with all of the people you meet through your internships.
Not sure where to begin or what job you might like? The Career Services Library, now located in Mann library, is a great place to get started! All of the resources in the Career Services Library, easily searchable through our Career Service Library catalog makes it easier for you to learn more about careers in your field, how to build a better resume, interview tips, and more! You can also check out the Alumni Career Link a database of CALS alumni who volunteer to talk with CALS students on career related topics. You can always stop into the CALS Career Services office, located in 140 Roberts Hall, for resume, cover letter, and job search during walk in hours on Tuesday and Wednesday, 9:30am – 11:30am and Thursday & Friday, 1pm – 3pm.