Internship Fair to be held Thursday at IMU

Ryan Helling, a sophomore and fine arts major, knows the benefits of having an internship. Since the beginning of January, he has worked as an intern for Secretly Canadian Warehouse, a local independent record label.\n"My internship will give me a good base for networking. I get to meet a lot of people in the business world that I may enter later on in life," Helling said of his job, which also appeals directly to his love of music.\nStudents interested in having an internship of their own can also explore the range of opportunities available to them at the Career Development Center's annual Internship Fair from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Thursday in Alumni Hall of the Indiana Memorial Union.\n"For once in their lives, employers are coming to the students," said Nichole Williams, assistant director of the IU Career Development Center. "Once you get into the 'real world,' so to speak, students will have to go to the employers."\nAccording to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 86 percent of college students complete at least one internship. Williams said the benefits of having an internship are numerous and not having one could be a disadvantage.\n"It's a way to learn real work skills in the business world -- anything from interpersonal skills to teamwork to communication," she said. "A lot of those things can't be learned in the classroom."\nRepresentatives from 60 organizations are slated to attend and provide students with informal interviews and a wealth of information, as well as a chance to network with possible employers. Companies and organizations like Target, the American Cancer Society, Macy's, the State of Indiana, Stryker Medical and AT&T are just a few that will be present.\nSeveral media-related internships will also be showcased by companies like The Buckle, Clear Channel Communications, Fox 59 Indianapolis and WFHB-FM Community Radio in Bloomington.\nWilliams said 53 employers and 955 students attended last year's fair.\n"This is one of the most highly attended fairs on campus, both by employers and students, and we get the same employers coming back year after year," she said.\nThe Internship Fair is just one of many annual services sponsored by the CDC. In addition to advising and career counseling, the CDC provides a variety of career-related activities like the "Futures in Biology" series, "Network Nights" for various fields and majors and job fairs like "Camp Day."\nStudents can get more information about internships and a direct link to potential employers by creating an account and a default resume at www.IUcareers.com and by subscribing to the listserv option available on the Web site.