Opinion: Internships are hard to acquire but represent a necessary struggle

A college student sits on the curb outside of LinkedIn HQ, looking discouraged. Art by Wes Mowry-Silverman.

For young people in education, internships are a valuable life experience and a great way to distinguish your resume. According to the official Willamette University website, about 70% of Willamette University undergraduates finish at least one internship. 

Some majors, such as business and psychology, require their students to participate in an internship relevant to their major. But internships aren’t automatically provided to students, and internship requirements make hiring even more competitive. Moreso, internships often take up students’ spare time and offer no pay, setting an expectation and a precedent of unpaid labour being a necessity. So the question must be asked, why is it so important for prospective majors to get an internship anyway? 

Despite the obvious issues present, the requirement of internships for certain degrees provides an important incentive for students to get their foot in the door of their chosen field. Internships represent great opportunities for Willamette students to learn more about their field of interest and what it’s like having a job in that area. 

Executive Director of Career Initiatives Anne Lapour said there is a challenging market for securing internships right now. Students often have to make compromises in terms of exactly what they’re looking for, and it’s tricky to get into anything at all, primarily due to economic factors out of the control of any given college or student.

Career Initiatives and Career Management are trying to relieve some of these challenges by helping people reach out to prospective employers through LinkedIn or other platforms, and having connections to several organizations who may be seeking college-level interns. 

Assistant Director of Career Management Katrina Garcia emphasized that students looking for an internship should focus on networking. According to statistics cited by Garcia regarding MBA students who secured internships over the past two years, 32% of internships are acquired through networking, compared to 29% through the aid of coursework or professors, and 25% through informational interviews, also known as “networking conversations.” A mere 14% of interns got their internship by only submitting traditional applications. 

In essence, a focus on internships for major requirements means a focus on networking.

This emphasis on networking poses a unique difficulty for some students. There are many who may struggle to attend large events due to illness, disability or psychological disorders. Additionally, networking takes time out of the already busy schedule of a college student, with some college students having substantially less free time than others.

Garcia made clear that networking does not necessarily have to be in the form of large events, and simple one-on-one conversations go a long way. Garcia also mentioned that there is a “strategic communication” class for business majors to help with this particular struggle.

The fact that the university provides additional resources and learning opportunities for those seeking to expand their networking skills is great, but mechanisms to obtain these internships do not necessarily justify the requirement. These resources still take time and effort to take advantage of, one needs to know about them, and they’re still not a guarantee. So what advantage do these mandatory internships provide students with?

Both Lapour and Garcia stated that internships are a strong predictor of success in the post-graduate job search. The internship requirement is not meant to be an obstacle, but a way to ensure that Willamette graduates have the experience and the resume to actually do what they’ve spent four years learning to do. 

As difficult as these internships can be to obtain, especially for people who may be at a disadvantage with networking, the fact of the matter is that this major requirement serves a very important purpose.