Increasingly, students and professionals alike are finding that internships help them in the job market.

Doug, for example, wants to work in the film industry. While taking some college classes in film production, he secured an internship with a studio that was filming in Michigan.  Even though it was an unpaid internship, he felt it would be worthwhile because of the experience and industry contacts he would gain. 

Doug added his internship work to his resume, and since then has had six paid jobs working as an assistant location manager on movie projects.

Internships, however, are not just for students. These days, internships are in high demand by people of many ages and professional levels because they often lead to full-time employment. 

A recent CareerBuilder.com survey reported that the majority of employers (59%) who plan to hire interns are likely to hire them for full-time permanent positions. Mid-level executives are finding that internships can lead them to a job. For example, Michelle (age 40) transitioned from book publishing to digital media through an unpaid internship.

An internship can benefit you in the following ways:

• Allow you to "reality test" if a certain area of work would fit you well;
• Provide you with experience and new skills that you can add to your resume;
• Let employers have an extended view of your work to see the benefits of hiring you full time;
• Give you contacts that can lead to job openings;

In a tough economy an internship can give you an upper hand in finding work that fits you God-given design.

Posted June 1, 2009.

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Kevin Brennfleck and Kay Marie Brennfleck are the authors of Live Your Calling: A Practical Guide to Finding and Fulfilling Your Mission in Life. As National Certified Career Counselors and Life Calling Coaches, they are recognized experts in helping people identify their giftedness and find their purpose in life. If you are interested in career coaching and testing to discover work that fits your God-given design; or would like assistance with writing a powerful resume, interviewing effectively, finding job openings, or other aspects of a successful job search, you can schedule a free consultation session at http://www.christiancareercenter.com/.