Internships and Volunteer Experiences During the Summer Can Increase Your Marketability

By Karen Robinson from “My Campus Guide:  School’s Almost Out!” Edition

Sure, you’d like a break.  Kick back and relax; have no worries and visit with old friends.  No one can blame you.  You’ve been working hard all year with projects, papers, lectures and exams.  Now it’s time to enjoy the spoils of all your hard work and headaches.  After all, you’ll only be in college for a short period of time and then you’ll have to face the “real world.”

Well, the “real world” is out there right now and what you choose to do with your time now could really make a big difference on how you live your future.  It’s not just good enough to come out of college anymore with a degree.  You must have a combination of book learned activities and hands-on experiences.

One of the toughest challenges facing new graduates is getting that first job.  They find themselves in a terrible situation of employers demanding “experience” but being unwilling to offer opportunities for “experience.”  We’ve heard students complain time after time “How can they expect me to have experience if no one is willing to give me any?”  It can be very frustrating.  But, all of this can be avoided if you use your time wisely.  Don’t just settle for a quick job flipping hamburgers or working behind a counter.  Think about how you can best use your available time and apply your future career goals.  Realize that there are few glamorous jobs for the summer and that you are likely to be doing grunt work.  Let’s face it though; most everyone has to pay their dues.  Look for jobs that give you some responsibility and opportunities for leadership.  Don’t be afraid to get dirty and do the work no one else really wants to do.  Remember, the aim here is to GAIN EXPERIENCE.  You can also make very valuable contacts with people in your chosen field that may be able to offer you guidance and assistance upon graduation.

This is a great time to develop new skills and see if your chosen field really does appeal to you.  You can also learn other aspects of what you’ve been studying.  College has a great way of teaching about theories and optimum techniques, but in the actual workplace, sometimes theories and constructs get thrown to the wind just so the work can get done.  Find out if that is the case in your field.

Volunteer experience is still experience.  Even if you do not get paid for your service, it does not diminish the value of expertise you’ll gain.  Take what you can get, and do it well.  Do it so well that people remember you and recommend you.

Every college and university should have a career services department.  They might have different names, but their functions are the same.  Start there.  See what summer jobs/internships they have posted.  Many will have books and internet sites they can recommend.  The sooner you go to visit this office, the sooner they can help.  Just like Financial Aid, these opportunities get scooped up rather quickly.  Keep in mind; you will be competing with college and high school students across the nation for these positions.  We recommend you start this process as soon as you return from winter break.