An internship could be your key into landing your dream career. Think of it as one of the doorways that will lead you into the industry you thought you’d never really get a chance to work in. Employers offer internships to, let’s be real, get some extra help in the office without having to create a dent in the budget. Most internships are unpaid – but don’t let that deter you from the experience. Internships give you a great chance at not only getting a hands-on experience but also it’s an opportunity to network and meet people who will be able to help you later on.
It is best to apply for internships that correlate with the field you want to work in but don’t limit yourself to the “big brands.” If you want to work in social media don’t think that you only have to have experience with Buzzfeed. Updating a Facebook page for an automobile shop will be just as useful. Employees value prospects that have an experience in the work field. The University at Albany offers its undergraduate students opportunities for credit and non-credit bearing internships. Students can work within the school as well as external companies. Below are the steps to becoming an intern.
Part- Time Internships For Communication Majors
A part-time internship is a great way to get acquainted with the professional world before graduating. In order to be eligible to acquire an internship, there are 4 major requirements you must have.
- You need to be a communication major or minor.
- You must have a junior or Sienior Standing
- You must have at least a 2.5 GPA or higher
- At the time of registering, majors must have already completed COM 100 and COM 265x. Minors must have completed at least 6 credits in Communication
After you have checked off all four requirements, the next step is to find a company, organization, or institution to internship with. There are internship opportunities throughout the Albany area and New York City as well. Dr. William Husson’s office, has a list of names and addresses of companies, organizations, and institutions that have hired UAlbany communication interns in the past. It’s a good idea to find an establishment and internship that mirrors what you are looking for in your career. It is even better to internship at the company you wish to work for, in a department you hope to work in.
Internships Lead To Full Time Jobs
When it comes down to it, internships lead to full-time jobs. Companies are more willing to hire someone who already has a good understanding of how their company works internally and externally and has experience working in their environment. This is a great reason to go for the internship that is at a company you would like to work for or can see yourself working for. But before you go for just any old unpaid internship just so you can put it on your resume, consider this first. There is a big difference between the probability of getting hired after a paid internship and unpaid internship. As reported from the National Association of Colleges and Employers Internship and Co-op’s 2012 Survey, almost 60% of college graduates who completed a paid internship received at least one job offer. In contrast, only 37% of unpaid interns received job offers while 36% of students with no internship received job offers after graduation. Now that’s something to think about.
Getting an internship opportunity is obviously helpful for building stronger resume. It increases your chances on getting jobs. It’s possible to say that internship opportunity is required experience for successful future career. You can think of it as a process of preparation before graduation. As a communication-major student, you can get helpful information through the University at Albany. Make sure to check the requirements for your internship opportunity, and you will find out that the limitations are not restrictive. Being active for searching information is important for you if you wish to have internship opportunity during your undergraduate terms.
Upgrade yourself to be more competitive than others. All types of organizations, such as universities or companies, prefer well – prepared applicants who have more experiences and background skills. For undergraduate students, internship is the only way and the strongest way to achieve these required experiences and background skills. Also, you have to make detailed schedule in getting internship opportunity, not to interrupt your academic careers. This is why you have to pay attention to University’s program offerings.
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