Experience Is Invaluable
Throughout most of my educational career, my mentors preached the importance of grades and test scores. I was told that these were the primary things that I would be evaluated on when searching for opportunities to further my education. This was relatable advice in high school while applying to college or other educational opportunities, but I have found this to be far from the truth during my time at the University of Kentucky.
I have spent many hours researching job opportunities in which qualifications of each opportunity have varied in quantity, extensiveness, and detail. Rarely have I seen a GPA requirement when examining qualifications for jobs. The phrase that has continued to make an appearance in every job posting has been the phrase “Experience in…” I have found experience in the same field or a related field that you’re going into to be the most valuable asset you can have when applying to jobs.
According to a survey conducted by the Chronicle of Higher Education and American Public Media’s Marketplace, internships are of the most importance when considering a potential employee. The second most important things employers look for is employment during college. College GPA came second to last, placing higher than reputation. When these statistics were presented to me I was not shocked by the results. Internships and college employment are things that can provide experience in work related fields. College professors are not able to accurately recreate real life work scenarios in a classroom setting. Internships and work experience are so invaluable because it puts college students in real life work situations, outside of the classroom, where they can be tested and challenged to solve new problems.
“Employers want to know that you have skills that go beyond those of the traditional academic classroom, so if it’s not too late, try to get as much experience as possible while you’re still in school.” — Jacquelyn Smith, Forbes
It is undeniable that real life work experience is one of your biggest assets when applying to jobs. Students should seek out opportunities to add to their experience in the field that they study during their time in college. Even if there is not much opportunity in a student’s related field, any job would serve as some kind of experience. An employer wants to see that a student is actively trying to gain work experience and learn new things. David Ballou of Belcan Engineering said that the number one thing he looks for during interviews is an applicant’s desire to learn.
