Why You Should Do a Summer Internship During University

In a constantly evolving world, keeping up with the pace is essential for your professional growth. As a university student, you might think your education is enough to secure a job. But the truth is, it does not ensure better prospects when you enter the professional world. 

Most recruiters nowadays demand that candidates have professional experience before they enter practical life. In fact, according to The National Association of Colleges And Employers (NACE), university graduates with internships are more likely to secure jobs after graduation than those without internship experience.  

While it may seem impossible to break into the market, there is a way for you to gain the required experience – a summer internship. 

Are Summer Internships Worth it?

Summer vacation is the golden time in your academic journey. This is when you can hone your skills and prepare yourself for the upcoming professional life.

However, most students avoid internships because of the idea that internees are not given enough learning opportunities. College students often opt for part-time jobs since hunting for relevant internship opportunities is too difficult.

Some of the most common reasons why students avoid internships include:

• Not having enough time to squeeze in an internship with university, work, homework, and chores
• Choosing to spend time studying or vacationing over summer break
• Preferring to switch from part-time to full-time during summer to earn more money
• Worrying too much about traveling time or cost to and from the place they’re interning at
• Fear of being exploited by industry experts 
• They believe they won’t have professional development, so they may deem the internship a ‘waste of time’

Does any of that sound relatable?

Here’s what you need to know – a summer internship can yield better results than a part-time job because you get professional exposure in your relevant field!

Even if you are only asked to handle seemingly insignificant tasks, the professional experience gained while working with specialists in your respective industry can bring major changes. 

The best part is that you can opt for remote summer internships during university to improve your skills while enjoying vacation, working a part-time job, or studying for the upcoming semester at the same time!

6 Reasons Why Summer Internships For University Students Are a Good Idea

1. Exposure to the Professional World

At the end of your degree, all you have is a paper with your academic performance and theoretical knowledge of your subject. However, the professional world expects you to have practical first-hand knowledge, not a hypothetical understanding of case studies. 

When you take an internship, you get to work in the professional world and learn directly from experience. As a result, the likelihood of getting hired right after your degree increases radically.

Besides increased chances of getting a job, exposure to professional life teaches you various skills such as better time management, dealing with crises, networking, etc. These skills are valuable and can be useful wherever you go in the future. 

2. A Learning Curve

Being a student, you learn various things throughout your degree programs. However, a summer internship can instantly notch up your skill set. 

Your degree programs instill theoretical knowledge. To enter practical life, you must sharpen your knowledge and learn to apply it in various scenarios. This is where your internship will come in handy. 

Consistent learning is vital to better prospects and an internship in your relevant field provides just that. From understanding how to handle things in real-life circumstances to dealing with high-pressure situations, there is a lot that polishes your skillset. 

3. Expand Your Network

What do you want more than getting a job right after you graduate from College?

Yet, most university graduates cannot find jobs after earning their degrees because they do not have connections to people in their respective industries. Internships are effective as they broaden your horizons within the industry. 

Consider it – while you are studying and doing a university internship, you have various people in your contact list who are potential employers. Once you enter the market before graduating, there are enough people who know you when you are done with this degree. This helps you get a job immediately after your final exams. 

Efficient networking also presents various other opportunities such as finding a mentor or getting useful career advice. 

4. Improve Your Communication Skills

Communication is the key to success in any industry. You may have very good communication skills as a student, but communicating with people in the workplace is much different. 

From maintaining a professional attitude and tone to taking precautions against escalating any matter, the complexity of workplace communication cannot be equated with your day-to-day exchanges. 

On one hand, an internship teaches you about workplace mannerisms effectively; on the other, it gives you a great understanding of the ins and outs of a professional life. Moreover, scaling out your shell as an amateur boosts your self-confidence – a must-have skill in all spheres of life. 

5. Enhanced Employability with an Impressive CV

No matter how brilliant a student you might be, no one wants to hire a candidate with zero experience. While there are several factors behind such behavior from employers, all you can do is gain experience beforehand and increase your marketability. 

With an internship mentioned on your CV, employers expect that you have had some experience and understand how workplaces are managed. In this way, they do not need to train you from zero point. So, internships are essential to brighten your CVs before you get hired at your dream organization. 

6. Explore Your Industry and Career Discovery

One of the most fascinating opportunities that summer jobs provide you with is the chance to analyze the industry that you have chosen as a career. With an internship, you can weigh your options while still at college. So, you get to make informed decisions about your prospects before entering professional life.

Even if you have already decided on your desired industry with conviction, an internship can still be a huge chance to scrutinize which career path benefits you aptly. 

• Whether you want to become an analyst or a manager? 
• Is it machine learning that fascinates you or do you fancy a chance to become a quality assurance head in the future? 
• Do you want to work in marketing or do you think you do?

Decisions like these become well-informed only after you have closely analyzed all the possibilities. 

When to Apply for a Summer Internship

Summer internships are generally open for students at the beginning of the year. So, it is ideal to keep track of the summer internship timeline and apply for them as early as possible.

However, if you have not applied before, don’t beat yourself up over it being too late. There are various opportunities available as late as the end of June. 

How to Find a Summer Internship

While there is a multitude of benefits to doing a summer internship, most students struggle to find the right one for them. If you find yourself in the same pool of students looking for a summer internship that might lead to a full-time job, then Virtual Internships can help!

Virtual internships help students like you find the best college internships relevant to your interests and future career goals, especially if you want to enhance your CV and use your summer productively.