In today’s competitive job market, employers are looking for the best of the best. They want you to have a glowing resume, an array of extracurricular hobbies and, on top of that, previous professional experience.

But where do you get experience if no one will hire you because they’re looking for someone with experience? The answer to this vicious circle: internships. By doing an internship, you’ll get all of the personal and cultural perks while simultaneously reaping the professional benefits of doing an internship. Here’s some reasons on why an internship is hands down the best way to prepare for your career.

1. Gain valuable industry knowledge
Every career field operates in a different way and demands a separate set of skills and expertise. Gaining insider knowledge at a firm in your career field will help you realize how to properly prepare yourself for future interviews and for your career. Industry experience will also help you decide whether or not you are in the right field for you.

2. Get foot in the door at a company in your field
Spending a few months getting to know a company, the employees and the work expectations will put you in a good position if you ever want to start working for the same firm, or a similar one, in the future. If they liked you and your work, they’ll be more likely to hire you than someone that they haven’t worked with before.

3. Develop professional skills
University learning can only take you so far. You really only start to sharpen and improve the professional skills related to your career field on the job. As an intern you gain practical and pragmatic experience and learn how to do your job well, rather than simply reading about the theory behind it.
4. Get something to show a potential employer 
Though academic records and job experience as a university tutor will say a lot about your work ethic and capabilities, employers prefer to choose candidates that have some experience that is relevant to the position they are hiring for. An internship gives you the opportunity to take on tasks that will be expected from you at your future job as well, so at your interview you’ll be able to tell the hiring manager, “Yes - I can handle that. I did it at my internship.”

5. Chance to be recruited to work full-time
An internship is the chance to prove yourself as a hard-working, intelligent and capable professional. If there is an entry-level position available, as an intern you are definitely in a competitive position to be considered for the spot. In fact, the firm will be more comfortable hiring someone who is familiar with how the company is run - like an intern. 

6. Grow network of professional contacts
A major advantage of an internship is that you’re able to network and establish relationships with working professionals in your field. Fostering those professional connections can be useful for anything from career advice to a job recommendation. Moreover, developing a circle of friends within your career field can also end up being a good support group for when you’re feeling frustrated in your career.

7. Improve confidence in professional environments 
Learning office jargon, the art of small talk and the decorum an office environment demands takes time and exposure. Once you learn what’s expected from you in a professional setting, you’ll learn how to relax more at an office and focus more energy on excelling at the work itself.

8. A low-commitment to test out a job and career path
When you accept a position at a firm, you’re generally committing to at least a year working there. An internship, on the other hand, demands much less of a time commitment. That way, if you really don’t like the job, you only have to wait it out a few months - not twelve.