| Written by Alexis K. |
By attending college, you are preparing for a ideally a more successfully and fulfilling life in what we call “the real world.” But, just showing up for classes does not give you real-world experience. Trying to gain all of the experience you need for your future, real-world job can feel simultaneously exciting and overwhelming. As I begin my third year as an undergraduate student, I’ve begun to see that the more you take all of the opportunities you can to gain more relevant experience, the better off you will be in the post-graduation job hunt. I’m here to stress to you the importance of gaining experience while you are still in school.
To reiterate: Just being a student—even one that shows up to all of your classes and gets good grades—isn’t really enough. Although being a good student molds you into a more intelligent person who can retain a lot of important information, it doesn’t demonstrate that you are able to apply this information in a hands-on situation. No matter what your major is, or what your future job may be, you should be on the lookout for internships in your future field to give you that valued hands-on experience. I know adding an extra responsibility into your already busy schedule may seem daunting, it pays off in the long run. By securing an internship, you can network with people in your job field, build your resume, and make yourself a more competitive applicant for future job or graduate school applications.
To give you an example: My goal to become a clinical psychologist, so I found an internship at the Office of Violence Prevention and Victim Assistance (VPVA). This internship was right here the Rutgers–Camden on campus and it allowed me to gain relevant experience. I learned counseling strategies for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence as well as created events to raise awareness for interpersonal violence. I also lucked out, because my supervisor, Laura Luciano, wrote me an excellent letter of recommendation for a job position at a mental health hospital—which I got! I don’t think I would have been offered the position without the experience I gained from the internship and Laura’s recommendation.
Internships
You’re probably wondering, “Well how do I even find an internship?” Luckily, the university provides so many different ways Rutgers–Camden students can find internships. The Career Center has numerous counselors who meet one-on-one with students to discuss their interests and options. Take a visit to the Career Center and they will help point you in the direction of different companies that Rutgers is affiliated with and with which students have had successful internships in the past. If meeting one-on-one with a counselor isn’t your cup of tea, then you can wait for the Career and Internship Fairs. Each semester, the Career Center hosts usually two fairs where potential employers of all majors come to campus, giving students the opportunity to meet the employers, hand out their resumes, and discuss potential opportunities. These fairs are super beneficial. Attending one is how I found my job as a mental health associate at Hampton Behavioral Health. I secured this position—which is typically offered to those who have already graduated college—because I had experience from my internship at VPVA and my strong academic record (so don’t forget that being a good student is still really important, too). Many of the internships through the Career Center are either paid internships or credit-based internships. Credit-based internships are eligible for course credit; meaning, an internship can replace taking a regular class for 3 credits.
If you feel like you are way too busy to take on the commitment of a paid or credit-based internship—of which the hours are demanding—then consider volunteering or shadowing. This is especially beneficial for anyone considering going into the health sciences or medical fields as nurses, doctors, dentists, mental health practitioners, or anything of that nature. I personally volunteered at Weisman Children’s Hospital to decide if I would want to work with kids and mental health. It was also a great volunteering opportunity for future nurses or occupational therapists (that’s who I was constantly surrounded by when I was there). It was not demanding at all; I did one 2-hour shift per week, and, if I couldn’t make a shift, they were very relaxed about it. If you are looking to be a doctor or dentist, many graduate schools expect to see “shadow hours,” which is essentially time you spent watching a doctor or dentist at work in a setting of your interest. If you wanted to do something like this, your best bet is to call local hospitals and doctors’ offices to see what shadowing opportunities they offer. Rutgers–Camden is so close to many great hospitals that offer volunteering and shadowing opportunities, such as Cooper University Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Jefferson University Hospital, to name a few.
Research
Rutgers University also emphasizes the importance of research, so—for those of you who want to be a researcher in the science fields, like biology, chemistry, physics, psychology, etc.—there are research opportunities for you right on campus! Many professors conduct their own research and are always looking for students to help them out. You can easily search professor bios online through the Rutgers–Camden web-page and read about their areas of interest and research projects. If you find that your interests align with a faculty member’s and you want to explore your research potential, you may want to shoot that faculty member an email and see if they would like a helping hand. I am a psychology major but, although I knew I wanted to get involved in research from the start, I didn’t have a specific research interest. Luckily, I took a class my very first semester here with Dr. Roseman, and—due to the strong work I put forth in his class—he asked me to join his research team, which I have been a part of for two years now. Throughout my time on his team, I’ve had the opportunity to present our findings at a professional psychological conference (which is a big deal for an undergraduate student, especially being that I was only a sophomore at the time). I also made a great friend, Claire, who I have become very close with from our time working together in the lab. She has become a confidant for me as we both vent to each other constantly.
Internship Ideas for Popular Majors
Business
Bloomsburg Certification (Not an internship, but it does make you more competitive.)
Art/History
Philadelphia Museum of Art or other museums (there are many right over the bridge in Philadelphia!)
Sciences
Research with an on-campus professor (Biology, Chemistry, Psychology)
Health Sciences/Medical Field
Shadowing or volunteering (Jefferson University Hospital, Cooper University Hospital, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia)
Computer Science, Graphic Design, English
Rutgers–Camden Writing and Design Lab
Teaching/Childhood Studies
Rutgers–Camden Learning Center tutor; Jumpstart
Political Science
Reach out to local mayors’/senators’ offices to inquire about opportunities for involvement and experience; Try running for Rutgers–Camden Student Government Association (SGA) president!
I have learned rather quickly that the world after college is relentlessly competitive. Whether you are looking for a job or a graduate school program, you will be up against people who seem smarter than you and/or seem to have more experience than you, so it is important to be the absolute best you can be and prepare yourself for your future as much as you can while in school. Go get that internship, apply for that position, shadow that head doctor, and conduct that research! By seizing these opportunities, you’re only helping yourself in the moment and in the long run!