The end of your senior year is near, and the countdown to graduation is officially in the double digits. It seems like your friends are securing jobs all over the country faster than you can even blink. However, nothing seems to work out for you. You’ve applied to every job you can find on myCCO and revised your resume again and again after visiting the CCO for drop-ins. You’ve done a mock interview to make sure you’re being your best ‘you’ when you finally DO land an interview. Yet, nothing seems to stick.
You’re probably starting to get anxious and wishing you had applied to grad school. However, take a deep breath and remember that you still have 3 months to find a job before graduation. Another thing to consider may be to apply for an internship post-grad.
While the idea of doing an internship may not seem like the ideal situation at first, there are several pros to doing an internship after graduation.
Doing an internship may help you gain experiences that you could be lacking
Even if you’ve interned as an undergrad, interning as a college graduate can be a whole different experience. Not only are you more motivated to find a position within this company, you’ve also completed your college curriculum and can feel even more prepared to succeed in your internship. Because you’ve already graduated, your employer may be more likely to give you bigger projects that they wouldn’t feel comfortable giving to college interns.
Many companies hire internally (like interns) before they hire outside
While there are varying statistics all over the internet, it’s a well-known fact that many companies are much more likely to hire from within than from outside the company. In fact, some larger companies will insist that you begin your time there as an intern before you officially begin as a full-time employee. So, if you find your dream company during your senior year of college, you should try applying for internships there, where you’re more likely to get it, than an entry level position.
Networking
Even if you get an internship at a company that doesn’t have the capacity to hire you on as a full time employee, if you impress your boss, they’ll more than likely be willing to help you find a job at a similar company. Interning can be a great way to make connections.
Even if it has low pay, or no pay, it’s still going to cost less than grad school
While the money from a paid internship may not be the salary you were dreaming of as a new college grad, there are still ways to earn a little extra cash through waiting tables part time or maybe applying for grants or loans. There are a lot of paid internships, but even if your dream internship is unpaid, it will more than likely end up costing a lot less than grad school. It will hopefully end up landing you a job in a shorter amount of time than it would to complete grad school.
Interning post graduation has a lot of benefits that will pay off in the long run, especially if you are having trouble finding a job. If you’re hesitant on whether or not an internship would be a good fit for you, or if you need help making sure your resumes, cover letters or interviewing skills are up to par, don’t hesitate to stop by the CCO during drop-in hours.
