Business Rewards Internship Experience with Higher Starting Salaries

by Sarah Clark
sarah.clark@careertrainingdirectory.com
Career Training Directory Columnist

A survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers found that college graduates with internship experience earn an average of 6.8 percent more than those without it. According to NACE executive director Marilyn Mackes, employers prefer to hire candidates who have some relevant experience. Management even considers internship experience important to those candidates seeking entry-level jobs.

To understand just how important relevant experience is, one needs only look through a few pages of job ads on one of the big online job sites, like Monster.com. For entry-level jobs, it’s not uncommon to find job descriptions that list one to two years of experience as a requirement. How do you get the experience you need to land your first real business job? You get an internship in business.

Make Your Internship Count

Many students complete internships during college or directly after graduation. Some internships are paid; others are unpaid. Most businesses will pay at least the minimum wage, if not more. Nonprofits are more likely to offer unpaid internships—if you’re doing one of these, make sure it’s worth your time. Will it give you access to interesting people in your field? Will you learn something of value? Make sure you’re not just filing papers alone in dark room, unless the pay is better than average.

Don’t be shy about asking what you’ll be doing during your internship. Ask questions during interviews about the potential for doing work you’re interested in. Remember, there is a reason internships typically pay very little—they are supposed to offer experience that is of value to the intern. That’s the trade off for working cheap and doing some of management’s grunt work—in return, you get something to talk about during your interviews for your first real, full-time job out of college.

Finding Good Business Internships

Where can you learn about internship opportunities? Many colleges offer career-related services and career counselors who can point you in the right direction or alert you of internships in your field, in both the realm of business or public service. You can also find opportunities in newspapers and online job-search sites.

Get your business career off to a shining start—take over the management of your career by getting the experience that will lead to higher starting salaries.

Source:

National Association of Colleges and Employers

About the Author

Sarah Clark is a freelance writer who specializes in postsecondary education and career development.