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How necessary is it to find an internship before you graduate?

I am currently a junior undergrad student and I am trying to decide between an internship over the summer and possibly taking summer school classes to help me complete my minor so my senior year will be less stressful and I guarantee I graduate on time. Considering that this will most likely be my last summer before I graduate next May, how important to a future employer is having an internship under my belt before I finish my degree?

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Anne’s Answer

It's not necessary but it helps to build your resume with work experience. The internship may even lead to a full-time position for after you graduate.


When I was attending grad school, I actually prolonged my graduation date so I would have more opportunities to apply to internships and full-time jobs through on campus recruiting.
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Win’s Answer

Boone, NC?! I went to high school there!


In terms of your question, I would say that it very much depends on the field you are hoping to enter. If you are going to graduate school, for example, an internship might not be terribly helpful to have. If you are going into research, working in a research lab would likely be helpful but may be something you can accomplish while still taking classes, rather than requiring a full-time internship. If you are going into a more applied area (e.g., marketing, journalism, software development, etc.), some real-world experience would likely be helpful, not only for improving your candidacy but also for grounding your studies.


I really enjoyed having internships in undergrad. I was additionally fortunate in that I was able to use my internships to cover course credits, meaning that I was able to intern during the school year and not just the summer!

Win recommends the following next steps:

Talk with your career counselor and academic advisor about potential options that exist
Discuss career routes with professors in your department(s) and any mentors (current seniors or recent graduates can have some insight into current best practices for your field).
Get connected with someone who currently has your dream job (via alumni network, local professional orgs/associations, connections of fellow students/professors, etc.).
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