The Experts Agree: College Internships Are Incredibly Important
Depending on your major and your career goals, you may not need college internships to succeed. But chances are good, especially if earning a Bachelor of Science degree, that your odds of success improve dramatically with the right internships on your resume.
What The Experts Have To Say About Internships During College
One leading authority in the U.S., the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), has begun to study this topic closely. The NACE 2022 Student Survey revealed that “graduating seniors who have done a paid internship receive an average of 1.61 job offers compared to 0.95 job offers for those who have done an unpaid internship and 0.77 job offers for those who have not done an internship at all.” In other words, students with one paid internship have about a 70% advantage.
The same NACE study also found that “Graduating seniors who took part in paid internships are 2.4 times more likely to say their degree is related to the job they ultimately landed.” This points out how helpful an internship can be helping students find the right job as opposed to a job.
It may surprise you to learn that at least 60% of students participate in an internship and/or co-op at some point in their college career (NACE 2017 Student Survey Report), and 30% of students complete more than one (Chegg Internships Research). These statistics make it obvious that students who want to stand out to potential employers need to have a minimum of two internships.
How Internships Before Graduation Actually Help You
There is substantial evidence to suggest that college students who complete internships while still in school tend to have more success when seeking their first job out of college.
In fact, according to NACE’s 2019 Internship and Co-op Survey Report, 56% of interns land a full-time job offer from the employer after completing an internship.
Many companies today expect internships. More than 78% of all employees at Google and Meta had internships on their resume, and the number is still as high as 50% for companies in the retail industry like Gap and Target (Chegg).
According to the Forbes Human Resources Council, students should seek internships for a variety of important benefits, and we’ve compiled our own list of The Top 5 Benefits Of Obtaining Internships While In College.
Learn How To Secure Internships While In College
If you’re a college student without any internships, these statistics may be sobering. Clearly, finding internships is something every college student needs to work on. Before you start googling “How can I find college internships?,” we’ve already compiled a list of 5 Resources To Help You Get An Internship In A Competitive Market. If you think you might benefit from tailored strategy and coaching, or would like to learn more about the Outset Career Prep Program, you can schedule a free consultation.