Get the Internship Advantage

Do internships really offer job seekers a competitive advantage?  According to career counselor Peter Vogt, the answer is  -  absolutely.   In his book Career Wisdom for College Students, Peter provides reasons employers tend to make positive assumptions about students who have completed internships:

1.   Students who have completed an internship are more committed to their chosen field.  A 2005 survey of employers  found that 88% who hired college graduates who completed internships report that those hires who have internship experience stayed in their jobs longer.

2.   Students who have completed internships have developed the essential skills and traits they will need to succeed.  In addition to providing students opportunity to hone the hard skills associated with a profession, internships provide students an opportunity to cultivate soft skills that are so incredibly important to employers, skills such as communication, collaboration, research, critical thinking and problem solving.

3.   Students who have completed an internship will have references that can be specific versus general.  An instructor can tell a prospective employer how you perform academically and how you collaborate with other students in your classes; however, an instructor cannot speak to how you perform in the workplace.  Intern supervisors and colleagues can serve as strong references by providing relevant workplace examples to address specific questions posed by prospective employers.

4.   Students who have completed an internship understand the demands, stresses, rewards and ambiguities within in a profession.  Internships provide students an opportunity to observe and navigate office politics, to understand  the hours required to do a job successfully, and to experience, first hand, the fun and the challenges that can come with a career.

Now that you’re sold on the value of an internship, you might be wondering what kinds of opportunities are available in Vermont.  I recommend you start by searching:

Career Connections, CCV’s Career and Internship Opportunity Database

Vermont Business for Social Responsibility

VT Technology Council Intern Program

If you’d like some great resources to help you update your resume, explore Community College of Vermont’s Career Services. 

The time to secure a summer internship is now, so don't delay your search. When you find an internship, we'd love to hear about it.  And for those of you who have had internships - do you have any advice to offer for a successful internship experience?