The importance of internships
Whether students are joining the workforce after graduation or moving on to graduate school, internships are key to resume building.
“A job is far more likely to hire you if they see an internship on your resume,” said Senior Associate of Career Services Paul Washington-Lacey.
While some internships may be paid, others are not. Internships can be taken either during an academic year semester or in the summer and have to receive college credit if unpaid.
Internships can be found with the help of online resources, teachers, career services or by job fairs. Internships also can be found through networking on websites such as LinkedIn.
Not only does an internship give relevant job experience, it also can help one discover their likes and dislikes about the job or the field.
“That can work both ways,” Jim Poyser, managing editor of NUVO Newsweekly said. “They [interns] can get in a situation where their career choice is reinforced, but I’ve had interns get in here and decide it’s time to rethink as well.”
When looking for interns, Poyser said he looks for intelligence and someone who takes both initiative and pays attention to accuracy.
“For the interns, the importance is they get a ground-level, deeply immersed experience in their career path,” said Poyser.
Poyser joked that his interns do anything but retrieve coffee. He described how they all help each other and check one another’s work, making them equal colleagues.
“The interns are part of the small peaceful army that it takes to handle the workload,” Poyser said.
The city of Indianapolis offers a wide variety of internships, from the Indianapolis Zoo to Eli Lilly.
Washington-Lacey said that Indianapolis is a great place for interns because of the availability, variety and flexibility.
“Students should take charge of the opportunities Indianapolis gives to dive into the workforce,” Washington-Lacey said.
According to Washington-Lacey, the University of Indianapolis strongly recommends interning to students, because it is a valuable stepping-stone into the real world.
“It’s important to do internships and get job-related experience while you’re still a student,” said Valerie Wahlstrom, communications coordinator for university communications. “Keep in mind that after graduation it’s time to get a job, which means you have to put together a resume. And it helps if you have something to put on it.”
