Internships Aren’t Extra—They’re Essential (And Why That’s Changed)
If you're a parent wondering why your kid is scrambling to land an internship—here’s what’s changed since you were in college.
In the ‘80s and ‘90s, internships were optional. Nice to have. Maybe something your roommate did because their uncle had a connection at a bank downtown. You could still graduate, apply to a few jobs, and land an entry-level role without much else on your resume.
Fast forward to today? That world doesn’t exist anymore.
Internships Are the New Entry-Level
Since the 2008 recession, the job market has shifted dramatically. Employers downsized, departments shrank, and “entry-level” jobs started requiring—wait for it—experience.
So where do you get experience before your first job?
Internships.
For Gen Z, internships aren’t just resume boosters. They’re survival.
If your student doesn’t have one—or ideally two—internships under their belt by graduation, they’re walking into a competitive hiring arena underdressed. Degrees still matter, but they’re no longer the differentiator. Experience is.
The Generational Gap is Real
Many well-meaning parents, mentors, and even some professors still believe in the old formula:
Get good grades → Graduate → Get hired
But today, the formula is more like:
Get exposure → Gain experience → Build a network → THEN get hired
And exposure starts early. Freshman year isn’t too soon. Sophomore year shouldn’t be your first try.
The challenge? This shift hasn’t been clearly communicated to families. So students get mixed messages—one foot in the classroom, one foot in the real world, and no roadmap in between.
Internships Are No Longer Optional
Skipping the internship circuit and hoping your degree alone carries you across the finish line? That strategy’s expired.
In fact, the data is clear: students without internship experience are significantly more likely to be underemployed or struggle to break into their desired field post-graduation.
This isn’t a scare tactic. It’s the new reality. In fact, and good for them, many schools are now REQUIRING at least one relevant internship in order to graduate!
So What Can You Do?
If You’re a Parent or Mentor:
Support the internship hustle—even if it means a non-glamorous role or unpaid position for a summer
Encourage trial and error—internships help clarify what students don’t want to do just as much as what they do
Bridge the generation gap—share your work wisdom, but update your expectations
If You’re a Student:
Don’t wait—apply early, with a purpose. Rifle shots, not shotgun blasts.
Don’t follow the crowd—generic resumes don’t cut it (we’ll get to that in another post)
Don’t chase titles—chase learning, feedback, and access
Network — Build a network of connections, mentors, advisors, coaches. Seek guidance, advice and more connections. If you are spending 3 hours per day on Social Media, trade in 20 minutes on Insta for 20 minutes on LinkedIn.
Final Thought
Internships today aren’t extra credit. They’re required reading.
And while this might feel like overkill to some—it’s not. It’s the new baseline. So let’s stop treating internships like a bonus—and start treating them like the essential early-career stepping stones they’ve become.