Ahoy, Mates! Welcome Aboard the Intern-Ship!

If you have stumbled across this page, chances are you are looking to learn more about the wonderful world of internships.  The reality is, my Peter Pans, you ARE growing up.  The time has come to face the music and gain some practical work experience!

I know what most of you college students are thinking. Why do I have to do one of these “internship” things anyway?  I sit in class 15 hours a week.  Isn’t that enough?  Wait-- I’M NOT BEING PAID FOR THIS?!  But before you get yourself all worked up, there ARE benefits to applying for and accepting an internship.  The truth is, it is no longer enough to graduate college and apply for a job with little to no applicable work experience.  So put the Xbox controller down, turn off the 50^th rerun of the Real Housewives of Orange County, and listen up.

Internships are essential to the success of a college student.  These part-time jobs not only beef up your resume (though it does that too), but also allow you to make connections and build a professional network while putting the skills you have learned and developed in the classroom to use.  The more real-life experience you have to offer an employer, the more marketable of a candidate you become in the hiring process.  Believe me, job recruiters will not be impressed if your only accomplishments in college include beating all 400 levels of Candy Crush and sleeping until 12 p.m. everyday. 

On a more serious note, internships are also important for self-development and personal growth.  For example, an apprenticeship in your field of study allows you to measure your expectations of a job against the reality of the position.  In addition, internships can help you determine whether or not the educational path you are pursuing complements your interests.  After all, the goal is to love your career, right?   

Here, you will find interviews with former and current interns, advice and recommendations from professional internship coordinators, links to and analysis of news articles and other media related to internships, and plenty of anecdotes and stories about my personal internship experiences.  Ultimately, each post will help you learn more about working as an intern, as well as how to maximize your time throughout your individual internship experiences.

Starting a new internship can be both exciting and frightening.  However, do not be afraid--I, your captain, will help you navigate the waters of the internship world.   While every internship experience may not always be smooth sailing, I promise I will not leave you high and dry.