Field-related internships have value, even if unpaid

"I was assigned to the Financial Aid Office for my scholarshiphours and was hired after completing all my hours," Jordan said."I'm a biology major, and I guess it would be better if I worked inmy field of study."

Whether it is for financial reasons, career connections or justexperience within a certain field, many students at The Universityof Memphis have to work.

The best job a college student can have is an internship relatedto his of her field, said Clay Woemmel, assistant director ofCareer and Employment Services. College students should not justaccept any job to get by. They should pursue a job that helps themutilize skills that will be necessary in their future careerendeavors, he said.

"Employers always look for an internship on a resume," Woemmelsaid.

At this point in a student's education, whether an internshippays is moot. A paid internship is not better than an unpaid one,Woemmel said.

Woemmel had an internship during his graduate school years thathelped him acquire his job, he said, at The U of M.

"I had an unpaid internship in Career Services at RhodesCollege, and I made contacts that opened up this job opportunity,"Woemmel said. "If I had taken another internship that may havepaid, I would have missed out on this opportunity."

The number of paid internships has grown in recent years, saidSara Beekman, the internship coordinator in Career and EmploymentServices.

Similar to internships are cooperatives, which Woemmel calls thesecond-best type of job for college students.

No matter what a student does -- whether it is full time, parttime or temporary work, which all rank on Woemmel's top-five jobtypes for college students -- Woemmel said students need to find ajob related to their field of study.

"Everyone has to earn a living, but I would work in somethingrelated to my field," Woemmel said.

Students should consider their class schedule while pursuing ajob, he said.

"Students should work around their class schedule as much aspossible," he said. "Most employers are open during business hours,so some students take classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays and workthe rest of the weekdays."

Along with the many job opportunities offered by The U of M,students can find part-time work through many of the companies thatfrequently recruit from The U of M, including FedEx, YouthVillages, area retail stores and several local accountingfirms.

"If a student is going into retail, and they work at Starbucks,then that is ok, but that is not related to their field, then thestudent should try to get into something that is," Woemmelsaid.