Experience: Internships give you real world experience in a professional job setting. Academic credentials only go so far; employers are looking for students with related work experience and transferable skills.
 
Competitive Edge: According to a 2010 student survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), graduates who participated in internships were more competitive in the job market than their counterparts who did not. NACE reported that 42.3% of seniors who completed an internship received at least one job offer.  For students with no internship experience, only 30.7% received a job offer.
 
Inside Track:  Employers surveyed by NACE in 2011 said they will draw approximately 40 percent of their new college hires from their internship and co-op programs.  These figures demonstrate the central role that experiential education plays in the overall college recruiting process.
 
Higher Salary: Students who complete at least one internship earn an average of $6,900 more than their peers who have no internship experience, according to a 2010 NACE survey. 
 
Career Exploration: Internships allow you to explore potential careers and learn what professions would fit you best.  By 'test-driving' potential career options, you will have direct experience and a better understanding of what path is best for you, as well as learning what you don't want to pursue - both invaluable pieces of information to know before you graduate.
 
Professional Skill Development: Recent NACE research also shows the majority of an intern’s time is spent engaged in professional activities.  Traditional activities associated with internships in the past – administrative functions, scheduling, running errands – make up a very limited portion of the current intern’s workday.  Interns are focused on problem solving, communicating with clients, and project management.  This is as it should be if the focus of the internship is to identify and develop eventual full-time employees.