Why? Because those who served as interns got the hook-ups before they even needed real jobs. Interning is truly an investment—no matter what industry you hope to go into. I've spoken with many of the country's smartest and most successful salespeople, and they're all plugging internships. Read on to find out why.
1. Get a Heads-Up.
The most obvious, but not usually contemplated, reason that you should find an internship as soon as possible is to gain a foundation of knowledge and experience in the industry. No matter how much "real" work a company has you doing, you benefit by being immersed in the office's environment. In addition to observing firsthand how a business works, you learn how to answer an office phone and direct calls; speak with and handle clients; research; and write and format important documents. Although these skills will soon become no-brainers, they will give you an edge over those who only know what their professors told them in class.
Learning the language of sales and actually putting it to use is another benefit that is equally as important. General office and industry terms are not always covered in school, and when you finally hear them and use them, you become even more assimilated into the sales community. Later on, when you are interviewing for a full-time position, you will be able to talk the talk, which will make you much more appealing than the average fresh-out-of-business-school applicant.
2. See the Light—Whether It's Good or Bad.
The beauty of internships is that you get to test the waters at an early stage. Interning should be done as soon as possible, even if it's for the summer. When some sales and business students start to see what the sales industry is really like, they decide it's just not for them. Interning will help get this issue, if it is there, out in the open sooner, saving the student lots of time and money.
Internships can only benefit you; if you don't like the experience, you can always leave without hurting your work history—maybe your reputation at that company, depending on the situation, but not your work history. Everyone's situation is different, but many students work at regular paying jobs during college, filling their work histories for that period.
If you leave an internship early, you can always delete it from your work history because it is like an extra bonus. On the other hand, if you leave a job after a month, you will have to explain that to prospective employers.
3. Network, Network, Network.
In many demanding industries, including sales, young professionals can always learn from their peers who are going through the same experiences simultaneously. Although it's also a must to find and confide in an older mentor, having a younger and more current mentor gives you a huge advantage. You may meet someone who knows about another internship at a very competitive company. You might meet the nephew of a powerful CEO whom you'd love to work for and learn from. You never know.
That said, you can also meet seasoned professionals who can advise you on your career in sales. You can ask them about their career paths, where they interned, what their jobs are like, and so forth. Any person with whom you can have a verbal exchange is up for grabs. Take the people you meet out to lunch and pick their brains about sales.
