Royal Purple

Issue date: 9/5/07 Section: Arts & Lifestyle

Media Credit: Brad McAllister Junior Ingra Jacobson interns at the Milton City Hall.

While many students spent their summer in the sun, going to parties, and working their average college job, others were putting in their time at a summer internship. Most students realize the value of having an internship, but are not always so willing to give up their free time and social life to working behind a desk for nearly no pay.

Rachel Waite, a recent UW-Whitewater graduate, attributes her success in landing a job with the Milwaukee Bucks to her internships.

"When I interviewed with the Bucks, I know my internship experience is what got me the job," Waite said. "I knew the ropes and what I was doing, so they could trust that I could handle the workload."

Most students realize that internships consist of little to no pay, but the experience has the potential to bring students more money in the future.

"I do pretty much the type of things I did in my internship, but now I get paid way more for it," Waite said.

Waite's internships left her with the hands-on training she needed to land a good job. Waite also claims that making it through her internship is what really made her realize that she had made the right career choice. Most of the intern-experienced agree that they still would have done their paid internships had they not been financially reimbursed.

There are various reasons why students have yet to sign up for an internship, however. The most prominent reason seems to be financial. Many students cannot afford to work free of charge, or for less than they are making at a different job.

Senior Sarah Conroy admitted that the reason she did not sign up for an internship was because she "didn't know the how's and why's" of finding an internship. Other students are not quite sure enough of their future career plans and don't want to devote their time to an internship.

Many students sign up for internships while concluding their studies. Before graduating and landing her job with the Milwaukee Bucks, Waite took notice of her empty résumé.

"I approached my senior year with no experience and nothing to put on a résumé, and that scared me when I thought about going to apply for jobs after graduation," Waite said. "So in my last year, I joined two clubs, had three internships, and went to countless seminars for my major to fill my résumé up."

Students who are debating whether to sign up for an internship may want to get a head start on compiling their résumé to see whether they are lacking experience in their field.

Starting an internship search early, planning ahead, and finding the right internship are all important tips that Laura Morrow, internship coordinator for Career Services, has for students. However, Morrow advises that it is more important to have experience in the field you want to go into than to have the term "internship" on your résumé.

The Career Services Web site, www.uww.edu/career, has many valuable resources for students interested in internships. The Web site also provides links that can help students write their résumé, search for potential internships, and find jobs throughout the country.

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