According to a 2013 Time Inc. survey, the number one reason employers turn recent college graduates away is lack of “soft skills” in the workplace. Soft skills embody the practical skills required to succeed in a professional environment, such as dressing appropriately, working as part of a team, showing up on time and interacting with other professionals.
The best way to avoid being shunned by employers is to gain work experience, and the best way to do that is to get an internship.
The deadlines for summer internships are swiftly approaching, and students planning to partake in such a valuable experience should be compiling their applications now. Most applications require letters of recommendation, transcripts, resumes and other important documents that take time to collect and mail away. Ideally, a student looking to spend their summer as an intern should have planned to apply at the start of the academic year.
Assistant Director of Employer Relations and Internships Diane Klein said students should be thinking a semester ahead.
“Planning out an internship is like planning out your courses for the next semester, and just like you consider when would be the best time to take biology, you have to decided when an internship would be best for you,” she said.
Those who have waited until this semester to think about a summer internship still have a chance to find a fun and worthwhile opportunity. The Office of Career Development has two locations, one in the Carl DeSantis Building and the other in the Horvitz Administration Building. Students can speak with a career adviser, by scheduling an appointment or by walk-in, about finding an internship that best suits them.
The first step is deciding which field you want to be immersed in for an entire summer. Choosing the right industry to intern in can be a challenge, because there are benefits to either staying in your chosen field or opting for something completely unrelated.
“When a student gains work experience in a creative field not directly related to their major, they diversify their resume and make themselves a more well-rounded candidate as they apply for graduate school or other jobs,” Klein said.
The Office of Career Development also offers CAREERShark, a website listing internship and job opportunities suitable for degree-seeking students. These companies all meet a set of criteria laid out by NSU and are required to have openings if they wish to be listed on CAREERShark.
Pre-med biology students often secure positions in clinics, hospitals and pharmaceutical companies, but they also find many opportunities at NSU to do research with a professor during the summer. Often, research projects are long-term and will carry over into the fall semester, which requires commitment and dedication.
Students interested in research should either visit the Office of Career Development or reach out to professors in their respective departments to inquire about any opportunities to assist with research. NSU professors are constantly working on projects of their own and many would enjoy help from an enthusiastic student during the summer.
Senior political science major Nadim Visram said, “Internships are a valuable way to gain experience and insight into your chosen field or even a new industry.”
Supervisors pay careful attention to an intern’s growth and potential, and some companies use internships as a way to scout out prospective future permanent employees. They also become the perfect people to write your letters of recommendation and for you to list as a reference when you apply for graduate school or another job. Ultimately, performing well in an internship can lead to many new and exciting opportunities for a student.
