No Internship? Flip Burgers

Memorial Day is almost here and many students have lined up an internship for the summer. You might be wondering if it is too late to apply for an internship and if it is worth it.  According to research by NACE  there are positive outcomes of working in an internship in the early stages of one’s career.

Here is why:

Experiential learning provides positive outcomes for students pursuing careers.

Learning while doing can keep you ahead of the curve when it comes to finding a job after graduation. Additionally, employment opportunities are more likely to occur upon graduation, based on the success of completing an internship in your area of study and expertise.

Internships provide advantages to graduates in the job market.

You might be able to convert the internship into full-time employment when you graduate. As a student you can assess if you like your course of study and the jobs associated with it before it is too late to change majors. For employers and human resource directors, internships allow them to gauge how you might fit into their corporate culture and potentially set up a future career track for yourself. 

Internships as the part of curriculum have had positive outcomes.

In 2015, research from an internship program study done by Endicott College found that students across a variety of majors who held internships achieved a 53% positive outcome when it came to securing employment right after graduation.  Ninety percent of those who were employed in internships during college reported that they were able to secure employment in their respective fields, and that overall, the internship experience had an extremely positive impact on their first year of employment. The study suggests that work and study programs have benefit for potential employees and employers. 

Are internships important for future careers?

Forbes Magazine Article authored by Quora noted responses from experts such as Johnathon Jones that securing an internship prior to graduating is a good indicator to a future employer as to how serious you are in pursuing your career goals.  It also shows that a company was willing to employ you in advance of graduation.  Internships can give you the opportunity to evaluate the field and give you a competitive edge as a future employee. It also gives you a chance to explore if you like the type of work you have chosen and your desire to continue in the field.

Jones note, some of the benefits that internships provide are:

• Providing you with insight into the corporate culture
• Helping you to hone key skills to navigate through a corporate environment
• Developing good work habits for the long haul
• Providing valuable networking opportunities

Although it might be too late for large firm internship small firms might have on going needs. Look at the job boards, and company websites for opportunities, network through friend and family and also cold call firms.

No internship? Summer jobs can be as good as internships. Here is why:

Dr. Emily Porschitz Benson, a career coach at Keene State College suggests that taking work of any kind as a means of learning how to work can be just as good as an internship directly related to your field of study.  This allows you to take on projects assigned by an employer and complete them under supervision, which can add substantially to your resume post-graduation.  It also gives you an opportunity to develop critical thinking skills and show a future employer what you are capable of doing projects.  Securing positive summer job references from an employer can be key to securing your first “real job” when you graduate.

Do you have a great business idea?

Consider starting your own business over the summer. When you start your own business and it succeeds, it shows that you have the maturity and initiative to plan, lead and execute. In addition, you wear many skill hats such as finance, marketing, technology and sales. These are skills and experience that are appealing to many firms.

Should you flip burgers?

Food is hot (pardon the pun). According to the National Restaurant Association.

Here are some facts:

• $799 billion: Restaurant industry sales. (Source: 2017 State of the Industry)
• 1 million+: Restaurant locations in the United States.
• 14.7 million: Restaurant industry employees.
• 1.6 million: New restaurant jobs created by the year 2027.
• 10%: Restaurant workforce as part of the overall U.S. workforce.
• 9 in 10: Restaurant managers who started at entry level.
• 8 in 10: Restaurant owners who started their industry careers in entry-level positions.
• 9 in 10: Restaurants with fewer than 50 employees.
• 7 in 10: Restaurants that are single-unit operations.

Fast food restaurants provide excellent training in communication skills,working under pressure and customer service all critical skills for to work in a firm today. According to an article in narcity.com a stint at MacDonald restaurant can be a gold star on your resume. MacDonald’s is known for management training, developing key skills, providing flexibility for employees, job growth and education opportunities. It is also a globally known brand.

Investing time this summer working is worth the time and effort this summer whether it is a formal internship, a summer job or starting your own business.

Dr. Tracey Wilen has authored 12 books; her newest book is Digital Disruption: The Future of Work, Skills, Leadership, Education and Careers in a Digital World (2018). Available for order on Amazon   Find Me @ Website @ LinkedIn@ Twitter @ Facebook @YouTube @Instagram @PeterLangUsa  Amazon.com/author/traceywilen