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At what point in my first 4 years should I be pursuing internships?

Start right away or wait til junior/senior years?

#internships #women-in-business

internships women-in-business
Thank you comment icon I held jobs related to my major starting when I was a freshman, which helped me better understand material in the classroom and helped me secure internships and a job after college. If it is possible for you to get an internship earlier on, that is great! Keep in mind though that a lot of firms offer internships to juniors and seniors only. Corona Cox
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Rahaf’s Answer

Hi Jennifer,

If I had the chance to go back to university days, i would do an internship every summer. The amount of skills and knowledge you will get from each internship/part time job you get will put you on the lead with people your age. My advice is to seek out internship opportunities in various places even if its not related to you major in university. Grow your network of people and enjoy :)
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Cara’s Answer

I would encourage you to do an internship as early as you can depending on your field of choice. There are internships in management that those skill sets used can be tangible in any field you go into. Look into Americorps or Vista programs as well as those can help with the field you’re going into, help with student loans, and you’d make a monthly stipend.

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Najda’s Answer

Starting an internship in your junior/senior year should suffice, but the earlier, the better - You can gain a better understanding of what you enjoy working on and what you dislike, which can save you time and stress when you begin your professional career after college. Even if the internship ends up being something you don't want to continue with, you'll have learned more about your professional interests and developed soft skills and professional etiquette, which is something that can only come from experience.
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Garrett’s Answer

Hi Jennifer,

Good question. It is never to early to start an internship while in college or at least to start to look for internships that interest you and that make sense for what you would like to do after school. Too many students wait until the last minute to find/do an internship that they either miss out entirely or they have a bad experience because they were forced to do something that didn't make sense for their major or didn't enjoy.


An internship is mainly used to help people get a taste of the industry as well as to build experience up for your resume and you can never start too early with that. Give yourself a competitive edge and start to at least look at internships as a freshman. Make sure you don't put too much on your plate though, enjoy your time at school as well as give adequate time for classwork, social life, etc.
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Austin’s Answer

Hi Jennifer,

Really great question!! It's good to hear that you are thinking about internships during your time in college as they are often some of the most rewarding experiences during your time as an undergraduate student. In my experience, I have found that it is best to start interning as early as possible. College goes by surprisingly quickly and you don't want to have graduated without having had an internship or two. Sure, many internships are geared towards juniors and seniors, but there are many internships that are also geared towards freshman and sophomore year students as well. I had an internship overseas during the summer between my sophomore and junior year and that internship set me on a path that led me to where I am right now!! It expanded my interests and led me to the great job that I have now. If you are able ti find an internship during your freshman or sophomore year, go ahead and do that internship as it can only help. Having more work experience can only help and make you a stronger candidate for when you apply for a full time job after college.


I hope this helps and I wish you the best of luck in your internship hunt!!


Best,

Austin

Thank you comment icon Thank you so much for this great answer. It's good to know that they are available throughout college. I definitely want to start getting relevant work experience as soon as possible. Jennifer
Thank you comment icon Great idea. There are so many internship opportunities out there, all you have to do is apply!! I wish you the best in your internship hunt. Austin L.
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Stephen’s Answer

Hi Jennifer - I would suggest seeking opportunities as early as possible. Even if the internship / part-time job is not directly related to your current major, developing your professional soft skills early on not only helps as talking points during an interview but will also help jump start you into whatever role you start your career in.
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