The USC Career Center will hold the S.E.T. Fair and the Career Fest at the Columbia Metropolitan Convention Center on Wednesday from noon to 4 p.m. At the event, students will have the opportunity to meet potential employers and discuss intern, co-op or full-time positions.
The S.E.T. Fair will focus on students in the science, engineering and technology fields, while the Career Fest will have employers for a wide variety of majors and career paths.
USC offers many other resources besides this event to help students find internships that are perfect for them. Katie White, the Program Coordinator for Experiential Education at the Career Center, works closely with students looking for internships and recognizes the value of internship experience in future job hunts.
“Internships and co-ops are vital for college student resumes,” White said. “Many employers will not consider students without at least two internships or co-ops on their resume upon graduation.”
Internships prove a valuable addition to resumes and can be what makes or breaks a student’s future with a certain company. They can dictate not only job acceptances, but also other important aspects of a student’s future career.
“Students who have completed an internship or co-op are statistically more likely to receive a full-time offer faster than those who haven’t,” White said, “and are also more likely to receive a higher starting salary than those who haven’t held an internship or co-op position.”
Students who are interested in finding internships are encouraged to make an appointment with White or one of her Career Center coworkers at their offices on the fifth floor of the Thomas Cooper Library.
“The USC Career Center has an experiential education team that focuses solely on internships and co-op opportunities for USC students,” White said.
On top of face-to-face appointments, the Career Center also offers several online and out-of-building resources for finding jobs and internships.
According to White, some of the tools available to students include: JobMate, the Career Center’s online integrated job search resource center; Career Shift, an internship and job search tool that students can access for free via the Career Center website; and the opportunity to attend the Career Center’s job fairs, such as the S.E.T. Fair and the Career Fest, that occur each semester.
Students will find that internship experience is more than just a perk on a resume. While they allow employers to see that the student is well rounded and experienced, internships also help students with their own personal career choices.
“In addition to the benefits of having these positions on a resume, internships allow students the chance to try out different industries and organizations to see if it’s the right fit before applying to full-time positions after graduation,” White said.
Jourdan Simpson, a fourth-year public relations student, knows the many benefits of internship experience.
“My internship experience has helped me narrow down my interest,” Simpson said. “Like most college students, I had no idea what I wanted to do, and internships gave me perspective on what I enjoyed and eventually what I was passionate about.”
While the Career Center is a great resource for finding internships during the semester or in your hometown, the Study Abroad Office gives students the opportunity to serve as interns overseas.
“A lot of people don’t even realize that (getting an international internship) is an opportunity for them,” Michelle Adams, a fourth-year marketing and management student, said.
Adams is a peer leader for the Study Abroad Office and plays a hands-on role when it comes to helping students with their international internship questions.
Internships abroad give students' resumes an extra boost that is attractive to employers. The Study Abroad Office, located on the fourth floor of the Close-Hipp Building, encourages students to seek out the opportunities of international internships.
“If you can do an internship abroad you should definitely try to,” Adams said. “It definitely makes you stand out because so many students do internships … it’s definitely a way to set students apart.”
For some students, building their resume with internships and relevant experience began early on in their college career.
Wesley Masters, a first-year broadcast journalism student, applied over the summer to work with Gamecock Productions as a production intern. From the start of her first semester, Masters worked closely with the organization to gain valuable experience and make important connections.
“I definitely think it gives me a ton of connections right off the bat,” Masters said. “I have recommendations from people who have seen me grow, and it gives me good practice for what I want to do later in life.”
While balancing both an internship and academics can be difficult, the time put into being an intern will not go to waste.
“I definitely think it's worth the time,” Masters said. “At the end of the day you have to focus on why you're here. You're here to get a job and focus on your career.” she said.