Graduate School Internships
As a graduate student, you’re already well on your way to a successful career. Whether you started graduate school right after completing your undergraduate degree, or you went back to school after a few years of hands-on workplace experience, you’re becoming an expert in your chosen field. So why would a graduate student need to pursue an internship?
Well, there are a lot of reasons. Below, we’ve outlined just a few of the powerful benefits that internships offer graduate students.
Explore your career options
For many graduate students, an advanced degree opens up a plethora of job options. Once you finish school, you’ll be able to choose among a variety of industries and positions. While having so many options is exciting, it can also be a bit daunting. You might find yourself wondering, “What are these fields really like?” “Will I enjoy applying what I’ve learned in this particular position?” and “How can I possibly know what to choose?”
With an internship or two under your belt, you’ll be able to answer these questions with confidence. Internships allow you to experience for yourself what it’s like to go to a particular job every day. You’ll learn about the industry in which you’re interning and determine whether it’s a good match for your personality, interests, and ambitions. At the same time, you’ll learn about yourself. After experiencing what the day-to-day of a certain field entails, you might realize that you’re looking for something else entirely—or you might know once and for all that this is the path for you. Either way, you’ll be gaining some extremely valuable knowledge—all thanks to your internship!
Build your resume
While you’ve learned a ton through your graduate studies, it’s a tough truth that employers don’t always understand the value of academic experience. Adding internship experience to your resume is a great way to prove that your graduate degree has real-world applications. Whether your internship is similar to the job you’ll be pursuing after graduation or not, it will still show employers that you’ve got what it takes to succeed in the post-academic world—and that they stand to benefit from your talents. The skills you’ll develop during your internship are the skills that will help you hit the ground running in a permanent position.
Prove your interest
Some people fall in love with academia and never want to leave, while others reach the end of grad school and are desperate to escape. Both these scenarios make potential employers skeptical about long-time students’ commitment to finding a permanent role in the corporate world. A hiring manager might look at the graduate degree on your resume and wonder, “After such a long time in school, does he know what he’s getting into?” or “Will she get bored after all the challenges of graduate school?” You don’t want your would-be employer to ask those questions, so put their mind at ease with some internship experience. Employers will know they’re getting an informed applicant, who’s ready to make the leap into a professional career.
Accelerate your career
Professional experience gained through an internship gives you a leg up before you even arrive for your first day at work. The National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) has found time and again that the vast majority of employers prefer candidates with work experience. As you invest time and energy into finding and succeeding at an internship, remember that it’s an investment that’s likely to pay off when it comes time to seek permanent employment.
Find an internship now
Now that you know the many benefits of an internship, it’s time to find one that best fits your needs.
