Saturday, June 4, 2011

To Intern or Not to Intern?

Perhaps you're like me and had to intern for college-credit to graduate or maybe you've never even applied to an internship in your life. These days, internships are pretty common. Now that you're a post grad, you may have to decide to take on another internship (or your first) or keep job hunting. Here are some pros and cons of getting an internship:

Pros:

1. Doing well at your internship could mean you gain a full-time job at the company. If you shine during your internship, gain experience, and get along well with the people you work with and they are hiring, this means you have an amazing chance at getting a job there.

2. Adding to your resume and gaining experience are definite pros to an internship. Internships are great for learning and getting experience to work towards your dream job.

3. Internships can be great for networking. You may be able to meet a lot of different professionals that could lead to getting you a job. Networking is one of the most important things these days in getting a job and having these opportunities can get your foot in the door anywhere.

Cons:

1. Now that you're graduated, you no longer need college credit from internships. Most internships are unpaid which is a big con. If you need money, you may be forced to keep looking for a full-time job or take a part-time job along with your internship.

2. If the internship is unpaid, you could be working long hours with no money to show for it. But if gaining experience and networking are your main concerns, this could be just a temporary con that could lead to a money gig.

If you're thinking about taking an internship, I say go for it! The pros outweigh the cons because there is so much potential for learning, networking, and even gaining another job from it if you do well.

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