For many students, the pressure to land an internship starts before they even step onto a college campus.
Nicky Szedon, an incoming freshman at the University of Georgia described his growing stress over the thought of possible internships shaping his future career.
“It’s a competitive world,” he said. “If I don’t score an internship, it could impact my career choices.”
That concern doesn’t disappear once students begin college. As competition for entry-level jobs grow, many Georgia students say internships have gone from a competitive advantage on a resume to a requirement for getting hired after graduation.
Students feel like they’re falling behind
Two Kennesaw State University students described feeling significant pressure to gain internship experience before graduating.
“I definitely do feel stress based in internships,” said Shyann Traina, a junior at the university. “The pressure of feeling like I need to get one in order to be successful in my college career as well as my professional career.”
She said watching classmates secure internships has only intensified those feelings.
“I definitely feel like I’m falling behind my peers that have them because it seems like they have it figured out and everything together where I’m sort of lost on what to do and how to get it.”
Chase Barron, a rising sophomore studying civil engineering, said he also feels the pressure, even though he expects to have strong job prospects because of demand in his field.
“I feel like it’s really important to get an internship,” he said. “I do feel as if I am falling behind due to lack of real-world experience and financial opportunity.”
Looking back, he said he wishes he had understood how early students need to begin the internship search.
Students want more guidance from their universities
Students studying at Kennesaw State University, the University of Georgia, and Georgia State University all said they believed their colleges could be doing more to help students navigate the internship process.
Common complaints included finding time for career fairs and networking events between classes and work as well as the universities consistently highlighting only the most competitive companies rather than those that routinely hire interns.
One student added that she isn’t even sure where to begin looking for internships.
“I don’t think my school has given me the proper resources,” she said. “I actually don’t know where I would start.”
Beyond gaining the internship, many students expressed frustrations at resources for building their resumes. Most said they felt an immense pressure to stack as many references and work experience as possible in place of an internship.
Recruiters say internships are becoming the norm
The concerns expressed by students aren’t going unnoticed by recruiters.
Shannon Kilgore, a talent strategist at AT&T said she’s personally seen a change in the hiring market over the last few years.
“I do think it’s gotten more competitive,” Kilgore said.
When asked whether internships are still a competitive advantage or have become an expectation, her answer came quick.
“I do think it’s almost more of a requirement,” she said.
Dominique Xiong, a talent acquisition specialist at Waffle House, has noticed the same trend.
“I would definitely say it’s becoming an expectation,” Xiong said.
She added that the qualifications expected from entry-level candidates continue to increase.
“The minimum bar qualification is rising steadily year to year,” she said.
Natalie Wolff, another talent acquisition specialist at Waffle House, said technology has also transformed recruiting.
“AI has changed recruiting and hiring so much,” Wolff said.
With many employers now using AI to screen resumes, Wolff encouraged students to tailor applications to specific roles rather than submitting the same resume repeatedly.
It’s about more than one internship
Despite agreeing that internships are becoming increasingly important, all three recruiters emphasized that employers are still looking for well-rounded candidates.
“If they did not have an internship, they absolutely have to have some kind of work experience,” Kilgore said.
She encouraged students to use summer breaks to gain experience wherever they can, whether through part-time jobs, volunteer work or leadership opportunities.
“Anything that shows that you are driven,” she said.
Wolff said students shouldn’t overlook the value of customer service jobs, which often teach communication, conflict resolution, organization and problem-solving skills. She also encouraged students to start networking early.
She talked about the importance of knowing someone in the industry and how that may boost a student’s chances of landing a job post grad. She said if an applicant is recommended by a coworker who is a good culture fit, recruiters will likely pay extra attention to that candidate.
“For this upcoming summer, just having connections in the industry that you’re wanting to work in is really huge,” Wolff said. “So much of that leads to hiring. We place a lot of value on referrals too.”
Xiong said recruiters aren’t looking for resumes built around only one accomplishment. She said a well-balanced resume that showcases extracurriculars, work experience, and achievements can make a big difference in the hiring process.
She also gave out a piece of advice to recent or soon-to-be college grads.
“My encouragement to college grads is that they remember the importance and the impact that a strong cover letter can still make,” Xiong said.
While internships may be becoming the new standard in many industries, recruiters agreed they are only one piece of the hiring process. Leadership, work experience, networking, volunteer service and the ability to communicate those experiences effectively can all help students stand out as they prepare to enter an increasingly competitive workforce.
Maggie Duckett
Maggie Duckett is a reporter for The Georgia Sun with a passion for journalism and keeping local communities informed. Born and raised in Georgia, she enjoys traveling, spending time with family, and getting lost in a good book whenever she can.
- Maggie Duckett
- Maggie Duckett
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