by James Jester

Created on: June 01, 2010   Last Updated: June 02, 2010

So your four years of college are complete and now you are looking for a job, but are unsure what potential employers are looking for.  Well, it is very simple really, and if you have one essential element you will have a much higher chance of getting hired than someo9ne who doesn't.  What is this essential key, you ask?  It is EXPERIENCE, and it is all you really need when you enter into the, "real world," so-to-speak. 

You could go into an interview with a 2.5 GPA and references from a summer internship, and you would be much more likely to get the job compared to your oponent who has a 4.0 and no experience.  Who cares if you made a D in Physical Anthropology when you are applying for, let's say, a Marketing job? 

If I'm the employer, I want the person who knows what they are doing, and the one who needs the least training.  When you have experience potential employers see you as someone who can jump right into the middle of things and avoid time consuming training procedures. 

Of course, you should try your hardest in school to make excellent grades, but at the end of the day a year or two of intership experience looks better than any A+.  Internships are great foundations to build your career expectations upon.  They provide great experience while allowing you to network and gain some valuable references.  Make the grades you need to earn your degree and always try your hardest, but at the end of the day you need experience before graduation.  That may mean you will be working at minimum wage or even free for a summer, but it is what is going to get you interviews in the end; not your grade point average. 

My father used to always tell me, "It's not the grades you make, Rusty, it is the hands you shake and the experience you gain."  Like it or not, he was right, and I have found that to be very evident.  So go out and get an internship, it is about as important as the physical degree you will earn.  Going forth into the working world without experience is like going into war without any weapons; it just isn't smart.  At some point we will realize this, and other than being a Veteran of the armed forces, nothing looks better than a college graduate who already has experience in their selected field.

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