Should I apply for a internship or get a paid job straight out of college and how will it affect my career?

I highly recommend applying for an internship related to your field of study. Once accepted the experience will provide you with great exposure to the day to day operations of the business/profession you seek to be a part of. This not only involves the business aspect - but the realities of getting to work ahead of schedule - working closely with others - applying your skill set already learned as well as being exposed to new ways of doing things. This is a great way to learn the nuances of how the business world works - both professionally as well as personally - and how you will eventually fit into it. Yes, the work experience looks great on your Resume - it will also help you to grow in ways not yet imagined. Apply - and challenge yourself with each new experience encountered.

Good morning:

I would suggest applying for an internship while you are still in college. Even if it is just a part time job it will give you some experience in your line of work and help determine if you like this field or not. Plus this will get you some experience that you can add to your resume and in the process you will expand your network and connections. Try to ask as many questions as you can while working this job and meet as many people as you can. This could lead to you getting offered a job when you get your degree or meeting someone that might have a connection to help you land a job somewhere else.

Unfortunately, this does not give you a guarantee that you will land a job when you graduate. However, it does give you a better chance if you have gotten some experience versus no experience. At least your resume will show that you are a go getter and not only got a degree but was able to hold down job and go to college at the same time. In most jobs, you will find that you have to multi task or be able to do several things at once.

Through my experience with an internship in college I got to get advice from experienced professionals and see how they became successful so it was a great experience for me. Plus it helped my resume which you need when you are first starting off and it helped me make some friends who knew people and companies in this line of work so it helped me land my first job. Once you can land your first job out of college you will find that you can really build your network of people as you are a full time employee and you will meet a lot of people who can share with you their experiences and knowledge.

Good luck!