If your a student that is currently in college, you may hear people talking about “college internships.”  If you’re unfamiliar with what a college internship is or how they work, this kind of talk can be very confusing.  To make things a little easier, college internships are a way to gain experience in that job field that you plan on going into. 

Why should I get a college internship?

Many college students look for job opportunities (internships) during their college years to gain that experience.  Internships look great on a resume and show that you are familiar with the field and already have experience.  Internships are also great because they can help you get a job sooner once you’re done with college.

Although it may be hard to find a job or internship that offers the kind of experience you need, it is always possible, you just may need to look a little harder.

How to choose a college internship -

Think it through – When college students look for internships they may get lucky and get offered a few different opportunities.  If this is your case, consider yourself lucky!   If there are different opportunities for you, make sure you think each one through before you except the job offer.

Pros and cons – Also, another good thing to do is to write out the pros and cons of each one.  Write what you like about it and write what you’re not too thrilled with.  Which one ends up having more pros and less cons?

Different experience – When looking for an internship, there are many that will give you a different experience.  Make sure you choose the one that works best for you and relates to what you’re going into the most.

Paid vs. unpaid – Also, another thing to look into is the job opportunity going to pay you for your work?  If so, that is a great thing.  If the internship doesn’t pay you, don’t get too bummed because a lot of internships don’t pay.  Also don’t let the unpaid internship automatically have you say “no”, if that is the only option you’ll need to take it.  Choose the one with the best experience, yet consider the pay because it is a huge advantage.  To make things more clear, don’t do an internship just because there is pay.  Also, make sure you ask about this to make things clear before you take any offers.

What do you like best? – If possible, try taking a tour of each place.  If they allow you to come in take a look around and show you what you’ll be doing, do it!  You don’t want any surprises when you’ve already expected the offer.  Also, if you do this, you will get a good feel for which one you will want to do.

Although choosing an internship may seem a little stressful and hard, don’t let it get to you.  You’re doing this to get experience, have fun, hopefully get paid, and better yourself for the future!  If you’re really stuck just re-read the tips above and see where that takes you.