Internships ease way for students entering work world

Marketing senior Alani Verges says her early career plans are to “touch ground” in various industries relating to marketing and, after expanding her skill set, dive into national project management. She sees her summer stint as a change management intern at FPL Next Era Energy as setting her on the way.

Rising junior Leah Dantin, a management information systems and accounting major, says she wants to land a job as an IT auditor that blends technology and accounting. As a technology financial planning and analysis intern with Citi’s Women in IT program, she is already putting the new cost accounting skills she learned in the spring to use, helping plan the 2022 budget for the company’s technology sector.  

“Students pursue a college degree in preparation for a career path, and internships play a significant role in the students’ ability to reach those career goals,” said College of Business Dean Michael Hartline. “Importantly, they provide an opportunity for students to gain on-the-job training and network with professionals in their fields before joining the workforce, thus easing the path between college and the work world.”

Students also learn about their own strengths, interests, problem-solving skills and their ability to deal with clients and work under pressure. An internship also can affirm an individual’s career choice or persuade a student to change direction before graduating.

Melissa Stricker, also a marketing junior, doesn’t yet have a career goal nailed down, but she feels no pressure at this point to decide. Her summer job as a communications intern at aerospace giant Lockheed Martin is teaching her the crucial role communications play in any industry and will help her chart a career path. In the meantime, she said, she is happy to learn and evolve during her internship.

The College of Business offers ample opportunities for students to find internships. They are encouraged to take advantage of several FSU resources, particularly NoleNetwork, powered by Symplicity (the university-wide job database managed by the FSU Career Center), the job board on the college’s website, the weekly internship e-newsletter and internal social media pages. Personal resources and professional networks can also help students when searching for internship opportunities.

While students gain experience from internships, employers also benefit, Hartline said.

“Bringing an intern into your organization can be very rewarding, and many companies recognize the value of adding an intern program to their human resources pool,” he said. “Students are usually highly motivated and filled with new ideas for solving problems and communicating.”

For information on how to hire an intern, please visit our Internship and Career Services office’s website. To post an internship, part-time or full-time position on the college’s job board, click here.