Internships key to gaining experience, career

Trying to find a job can be one of the most difficult and challenging tasks facing students as they finish their college careers. This is especially true in today's world of layoffs and downsizing. But there is something you can do to thrust your foot in the corporate door -- and that is to work at an internship while you are still in college.\nThis summer, I worked for the Indianapolis-based accounting firm: Katz, Sapper and Miller, and I now have a full-time job because of it. By working for KSM, I was able to get hands-on experience in accounting, and also find out if this was really what I wanted to do with my life. It's one thing to sit in a lecture hall at the Kelley School of Business and listen to a professor talk about debits and credits, but it's quite another to actually use that information in the real world.\nWhile I was at my internship, I was amazed at the level of responsibility and respect that I was given by other people in the firm. I wasn't some low-life peon that was given the task of copying and making coffee. I was an important part of the team who was expected to make a worthwhile contribution. They trusted my abilities, asked my opinion on important decisions and (gasp) actually listened to what I had to say. But I also wasn't expected to know everything. I could ask as many questions as I needed, and people were more than happy to answer. In fact, many were more than anxious to lend me their knowledge and teach me what couldn't be taught in the classroom. There truly is no better learning experience that you can have than hands-on practice. You can do as many Harvard business cases as you like, but it's just not the same. \nUltimately, the most important thing that I came away with from my internship was the knowledge that my career choice was right. I enjoyed the type of work that I did and knew I wanted to start my career at KSM. But I think that even if you find you don't like your internship, at least you've learned something and can avoid making a mistake when it comes to your decision about a full-time job. \nInternships are the best way to experiment with your career while the stakes are low -- before you have to pay rent, car insurance -- all those things we loathe about the real world. And if you love what you do, many employers end up hiring their interns for full-time jobs. If nothing else, you've at least gained an experience that puts you well ahead of your peers.\nSo you're probably thinking, that's great, but how do you get an internship in the first place? Obviously the competition is high, but the most important thing is to have some face-time with recruiters and make yourself memorable. \nI was fortunate enough to meet a representative of KSM, keep in touch with him, and then was able to get an interview. There are countless strategies you can implement, but it can be easier than it seems. Employers truly do care about helping you start your career, and when they see your potential, they will take you under their wing to make sure you have a great experience. I was fortunate enough to find a company with wonderful people where I will start my career, and that has made the effort to find an internship more than worth it.