For college students, summer is a welcome reprieve. You get to take a break from stacks of books and worrying about grades. Just because you aren’t attending classes, however, doesn’t mean that you can’t use this time to advance your education. For this reason, many students opt to put their summers to good use by pursuing an internship. There are several ways this can benefit you and you’ll find them in this list of six reasons why you need a summer internship.
1. Gain Perspective
Classes and lectures are good at providing information, but what they can’t give you is workplace experience. Pursuing an internship in your intended field offers the opportunity for you to see what your future career may look like.
2. Start Networking
Real world experience also allows you to meet people already established in their career path, and if you impress them, they may be able to help you secure a job when you graduate. Take the time to make a good impression during your internship, so you’ll be the first person your colleagues think of when they have an opening.
3. Receive Feedback
An internship serves as a great test run for your future career. Make sure your employers know that you’re always open to feedback when on the job. You’ll have the opportunity to learn what will be expected from you in the future and how to deliver it.
4. Learn What You Like
Every career has different options as far as what you can focus on. While interning, you can explore different aspects of your chosen field and decide what will work for you, as well as what won’t. You’ll be able to graduate school completely confident in what you want.
5. Stay Focused
An internship during the school year is helpful, but it’s mixed in amongst a litany of other things. When you have a packed schedule, you may have to select a few things that receive less attention than you’d like. Choosing to pursue your internship in the summer means you can throw all your energy toward learning new skills and impressing your employer without worrying about anything else.
6. Get Credits
Many internships allow you to receive college credit in return for your time spent on the job. This is an incredibly attractive option for students who want to chip away at their credit requirement without taking summer classes.
