Internships are a fantastic way for students to get their foot in the door. Being able to add work experience, in the form of an internship, will give the graduate an advantage when applying for jobs in their career.

Once a student has decided that an internship is something they want to do, the next step becomes actually finding an opportunity. The internet is a good place to start but it shouldn’t be the end game. Talking with professors and fellow students can lead to opportunities beyond those listed online.

Networking is not just a buzzword anymore. It doesn’t matter how much experience a person has going into their first job search. They need to make themselves known to influential people in their respective industries.

Being able to depend on someone who could help somewhere down the line is a valuable resource. A person’s networking connections could constitute a list of potential coworkers and future business associates.

Social media is a tool that every internship seeker and eventual contender in the job market needs to pay close attention to. Employers may be inclined to search every social networking website to find out information about potential candidates.

Staying out of the social media scene is as bad as having a poorly managed social media account. One solution for many is to have both a professional and private account. However, employers will likely see both when they search you anyway.

Rather than waiting for an internship to appear out of the blue, start assembling a list of companies and begin contacting them right away. Follow up with people who have responded positively and continue to work on building relationships. Build them positively, not aggressively. It is important to allow the relationships to grow naturally.

The impact of an internship depends on its length and the company that’s supporting it. A longer internship will look better on a resume than a shorter one. However, an internship, no matter the length, will look better than a blank spot in the work experience on your resume.

Searching for an internship has to begin the moment a student starts their studies. Occasionally, an internship pops up that creates an opportunity for students who have yet to graduate. These opportunities are invaluable because they could lead to full-time employment later on. Sometimes a student does so well in their internship that they’re able to start a full-time job while they’re still working on their studies.

Students may feel that an internship will be impossible to find and actually land. This intimidation factor shouldn’t deter anyone from searching and applying for an internship. The benefits of an internship greatly outweigh the stress that comes with finding one.