Completing an internship while in business school is one of the most important factors in terms of securing a full-time job after graduation, according to a recent survey of graduates and employers by the Graduate Management Admissions Council (GMAC), which owns the GMAT.
The GMAC Global Management Education Graduate Survey found that graduates this year who completed an internship as part of their business school degree were 26 percent more likely to have a job upon graduation than those who didn’t. Forty-two percent of MBA and specialized master’s graduates responding to the survey said they participated in an internship while in school.
“The value of an internship can’t be underestimated—for both the employer and the employee,” Michelle Sparkman-Renz, director of research communications at GMAC, said in a statement. “Whether or not a candidate has work experience, internships are effective in helping students realize their career ambitions,” she continued. “And in a hyper-competitive job market, an internship is a great way for a student to shine and get their résumé put on the top of the pile when applying for a full-time job at the company.”
A second GMAC survey, the Corporate Recruiters Survey, revealed similar findings from polls of employers. According to GMAC, employer data suggests that internships are one of the best ways for job candidates to prove themselves in their chosen target industry. According to recruiters’ responses, student interns in the consulting and high tech sectors have the greatest success rate of transforming their internships into full-time jobs. Last year, 70 percent of students who interned in those two fields applied to and received full-time positions upon graduation.
To access the GMAC Global Management Education Graduate Survey, click here. For the GMAC Corporate Recruiters Survey, click here.
Read the full article: Internships Represent Best Route to Full-Time Jobs After Graduation, MBA Grads Say