You’re young and have no proof of your knowledge, skills, or translatable employment experience. This is the unfortunate truth for several college students as they start applying for their first full-time jobs. You may be the world’s greatest graphic designer, but no employer has published your work other yourself. Since this is your first step into the workforce, you've no work connections that you can call on for opportunities; it seems like a really big challenge.
You may have worked at a fast-food restaurant in high school, but what does that say about your ability to manage several Excel documents? Frustrating for sure. You're thinking to yourself, maybe if I could only get a break and find an employer that's willing to give me a chance.
That’s why looking for an internship on your own may be entirely futile. That’s not to say internships are useless. Far from it – they teach you the real skills that you need in a workplace environment. Every day, you sharpen your networking skills. Statistically, there are way more unpaid internships than paid. Internships offer connections to mentors that may help you gain a position that’s not listed on the company website. The power of networking and building real relationships is invaluable.
So how do you bridge the gap between not having enough experience for a full-time job, but having the skills to land an internship?
You find a liaison.
Intern Pursuit's a great example of a liaison that works for students and helps businesses find a match. The platform matches students to employers that want to help students build the skills they would use in their industry. These are progressive companies that work with your schedule; they understand that you have school work to complete. Some even offer remote opportunities, so you wouldn’t have to spend half of your day on the highway. And the best part? The product is entirely free for students.
Industry knowledge's difficult to teach in college, because it’s constantly evolving. The only way to gain a true grasp on your given industry is to find an internship. But you don’t have to do it alone. Sign up and register your profile with Intern Pursuit and get matched to employers that invest and give you real skills for your resume.
