Useful Tips For Getting A College Internship
MIAMI (CBS4) - This week, hundreds of students are graduating college and heading out into the work force, but for those students who still have a few years left, the best way to land a job is to land an internship.
Jesse Cortes, 20, has already finished one internship and is looking for another one.
"I think I learned a lot more than if you don't have an internship at all," said Cortes to CBS4's Jorge Estevez.
Cortes's internship at a Tampa sports arena will help with his career goals to run an entertainment complex one day.
"I got my foot in the door. I made contacts that can help me out down the road," said Cortes.
For college students getting an advantage is key.
"What we tell students is one internship is great. It is better than none, but if you really want to be competitive, you have to do one, two, or three. I have seen students do 4 and 5 internships," said Christian Garcia, director of the Toppel Career Center at UM.
"The opportunities are not there as it used to be," said Garcia.
Dr. Mike "Woody" Woodward is the author of The You Plan. Dr. Woody, as he is called, talked about the importance of parents helping out their children receive internship opportunities. He suggest parents should remind their kids it's not about "Facebook" but about "Face Time."
"Getting in front of actual physical people that have the job or internship that you might actually want," said Dr. Woody.
Also parents should call in favors.
"A lot of times parents, lives are about calling in favors to help their kids, so call in one more, especially if you want to get them out of the house and out there being productive in an internship," said Dr. Woody.
Parents should also consider thinking about social media as a recruitment tool.
"Figure out who are those connections you have that may link you to an internships," said Dr. Woody.
Also Students should check websites like:
1. Career Amp
2. Tweet my jobs
3. Internships.com
Any way you do it, getting your foot in the door before you even put on your cap and gown is key.
