It is not your qualifications but your exposure in life that makes you who you are.

(Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev)

We live now in a world where relevant work experience is very important before landing your dream job. You need the experience to get experience. This is the biggest issue for young adults transitioning into the workforce.

Internship - this word is critical and the most commonly used word in any institution and organization. Still, this word provides the importance and future of your successful and happy career.

Employers and companies in today's labor market rely heavily on resumes that illustrate a relevant work history, whether from internships, volunteer work, or actual job experience.

Practical work background is significant when attempting to enter the job market. It's all about competition. Even your best friend from university who graduated with you has become your competition.

If you're looking to gain experience, working as an intern is arguably the most advantageous action plan. Imagine and take a moment to think of it.

That one internship you did over the school break could be the difference between winning a job opportunity or losing it. If that information alone isn't convincing enough, I have gathered a few reasons why taking internships is important for your future career.

Real-life exposure

Determine on some courses more than a wild exposure to each chance.

(William Shakespeare)

An internship enables you to gain first-hand exposure to real-world work. It also allows students to exercise the skill, knowledge, and theoretical practice they learned in university.

You can get continuous education in your life. However, that knowledge only sometimes translates to working life.

The helpful thing about internships is that it teaches young professionals about the specific industries and companies they are interested in.

Even the experience of trying something new is extremely beneficial.

Many people get stuck in routines, staying in the same town, attending the same schools, or surrounding themselves with the same people. Doing an internship exposes you to new people in a more controlled and stable environment.

An intern isn't thrown into the wolves but instead given proper training, assignments, and duties without the added pressure.

Building a professional network

Networking is an essential part of building wealth.

(Armstrong Williams)

Whatever career path you choose, networking is one of the crucial parts of succeeding.

Since technology is one of the easiest research sources, there are other mobile apps that can help you connect professionally, such as Linkedin, Lunchclub, Facebook Groups, CLubhouse, and even from a dating app - Bumble, that has a "Bumble Bizz" feature.

Most people use Linkedin to connect professionally.

As a journalist, I like to connect and gain relationships with fellow writers, authors, and bloggers since having their platform online help me to learn more about their writing style and source of writing.

For others, especially in business school fields, you can either attend public events inside your university that invite guest speakers and/or meetings and conventions that allow students inside.

You will need to build a solid network to learn more about the field, find career opportunities, and develop contacts you may have to rely on for certain aspects of your job.

Make sure to carry some business cards at all times because networking can occur anywhere or anytime, even at a local coffee shop you frequent!

Improve your time management and communication skills

When it comes to mastering skills, time is the magic ingredient.

(Robert Greene)

Time management and communication are two of the most critical skills you will utilize in any position.

While these are skills that can be taught in a formal education setting, utilizing them in a professional environment will allow you to appreciate their value and utilize them more effectively.

You manage your time at your university according to your personal and class schedules. When you work at a company, you will need to be able to make sure that deadlines are met around others' schedules. You will also improve your communication skills with supervisors, team members, clients, and other employees.

The opportunity to learn more about yourself

Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.

(Aristotle)

The experiences we go through are what shape us. Your internship will encourage personal development and a greater understanding of self. To know yourself is to know your goals and how to achieve them best.

Finding this level of clarity is challenging, but sometimes all it takes is trying something new out of your comfort zone.

For example, take a Business administration student who decides to do an internship related to his field of study. That internship will allow them to explore what a career in business marketing would be like. Sometimes, reality needs to meet expectations.

At this point, the student is given a chance to decide whether they wish to continue with their current career path or try something else.

Learn from others

Don't be ashamed to learn from others.

(Girolamo Savonarola)

Although learning from others seems normal in almost any setting, with an internship, you will be able to observe other employees performing their roles and utilizing the necessary skills to succeed in that position.

You will also learn firsthand what goes into the positions you are interested in. You can set yourself up to learn even more by asking supervisors and co-workers if you can shadow them for the day to see what their day-to-day looks like. You can also ask to sit in on meetings to observe how to conduct yourself in one professionally and how most effectively to get your opinions and ideas across.

Stand out from your Resume

Why fit in when you were born to stand out?

(Dr. Seuss)

You may get second chances when talking to someone face-to-face, but your resume will not.

Switching your mindset to a short-term goal is better for securing a job interview than thinking long-term about landing that job. Once you get an interview, you can elaborate on why you deserve to work with this company.

So now you may be asking, "How do I get a job interview?" Well, there is one specific section on your resume than any other section.

Experience! Internships are the perfect way to enhance your resume through relevant experiences.

When an employer sees that you've completed an internship over the summer, for a quite heavy 6-month span, or even abroad, it will go a long way to convincing them that you are an asset to their company.

It's not enough to show you've spent some time as an intern. List the tasks you've done and projects you've participated in to demonstrate your value.

During your internship, you can acquire new skills and abilities that can improve you as a young professional and enhance your resume. The more experience you get, the better you position yourself for success in landing a job.

Think of your resume as an extension of yourself and how you would want someone to perceive you.

Aim for a full-time position

Internships offer opportunities to transition into full-time positions.

Although it is not guaranteed, most employers always seek to add value to their organization; with an internship, you're given the opportunity to showcase your talents, commitment, and value to a prospective employer.

Furthermore, employers are more inclined to hire you once they have invested time and money to train you. Given these points, an internship is more than crucial for your future career.

An internship is the building block necessary for creating the path to a successful career. So next time you're on a gap year or summer break, consider indulging in a meaningful internship and building towards your future.

Experience never gets old - a quote from one of my favorite films, The Intern (2015), starring Robert De Niro and Anne Hathaway. It is a story of a 70-year-old widower, Ben Whittaker, who realizes he is not cut out for retirement. He then applies to become a senior intern for a skeptical boss at an online fashion site.

Check out the film, and maybe you’ll get one or two tips and fun ways of signing an internship and keeping it.

And remember always to try something new, get out of your comfort zone and explore.