No matter where you are on the career ladder, your work experiences and internships will help you in the increasingly competitive job market. All work experiences are a great source for networking, expanding your skill set and knowledge base, and broadening the scope of your employment history.

Leveraging Internships
Internships will give you an understanding of workplace facilities and processes related to your field of interest, and even let you "try out" industries if you aren't sure yet which you'd like to focus on. Internships can even lead directly to job offers. Many employers look to their interns first when hiring new graduates. The National Association of Colleges and Employers conducted a survey in 2006 that found that more than half of all students at companies surveyed were offered a full-time job after completing their internship.

Other Benefits of Internships:

• Searching for the right internship is good practice for the job search later on. You'll get a better sense of what's involved in researching companies and have better understanding of the industry.

• The hands-on experience will give you self-confidence. You'll be more comfortable and informed during job interviews and when discussing your career plans with potential employers as well as people you find via networking.

• The people you meet and work with during your internships can be a valuable resource throughout your career.

Our Industry Series has some resources for finding both internships and full-time positions specifically in the aerospace, healthcare, automotive, energy, and consumer goods industries. However, if your interests lie with alternate industries, with some research you can find these types of opportunities and resources for your industry of choice.

For Careers in Transition
Previous work experiences, including internships, will help you should you decide to change career paths as the skills you develop working are often transferable between industries.

For example, an aerospace experience could potentially help you in pursing a career in the sports equipment sector, if you can find commonalities between the two industries and the skills you have gained. With aerospace and sporting goods, that might be experience in aerodynamics. An aerospace experience that exposes you to aerodynamics testing or analysis can be of tremendous benefit when you go to apply for that job at the hottest new snowboard manufacturer.

Leveraging Non-technical Skills
And don't forget about the non-technical skills you've gained. These qualities - such as communication and collaboration skills, leadership potential, and willingness to take initiative - are often considered just as important as educational background and work history when employers are deciding on potential hires. These skills can play to your advantage when highlighted in your resume, during your interview, and when networking.

For more information on developing these valuable non-technical skills, review some of our other modules in the Management & Leadership Series and Communications Series.