As the school winds down, students are scrambling to snatch up those elusive internships everybody is talking about. While focusing on your studies is important, getting hands-on experience is what companies are looking for. The internship may not even be in your field, but the experience is something employers take notice.

According to the Association of American Colleges and Universities, in a survey among 318 employers, it says, “While they may prioritize key skills over a job candidate’s field of study, the majority of employers agree that having both field-specific knowledge and skills and a broad range of skills and knowledge is most important for recent college graduates to achieve long-term career success.”

Last summer, SHU baseball and football player Lucas Bartz participated in an internship with the Stryker Corp. in Kalamazoo. Stryker is a Fortune 500 company that makes medical supplies from beds, stretchers, and even tools used in surgery. Lucas is majoring in accounting, and interned with Stryker for three months over the summer.

“I was flown to both coasts (San Jose, Calif. and Newark, N.J.) for weeks at a time, on audits at different locations,” said Bartz. “I found the internship through Career Services and went through three rounds of different types of interviews to get the job.”

Although Stryker was not hiring in Bartz’s department, he said it was an experience that looked great on his resume. He just accepted a job with Eaton Corp., where he will be completing three one-year job rotations in different jobs and locations. The first will be as a financial analyst in South Bend, Ind.

“That was a real bummer to me, as I loved the company and work culture,” Bartz said. “…but it got me a lot of looks at other opportunities.”

There are plenty of websites to help search for the next internship opportunity near you. Mitalent.org is, “a new system that instantly connects students and employers through a unique online matching system.” Plenty of web sites like this are available and have dozens of possibilities for college students.

For Siena Heights students, there is a quick and easy way to get a profile out in the world. Simply go to your MySiena page, got to Departments and Offices, and click on ‘Intern in Michigan.’

Lastly, take advantage of having professors who know the field better than you. They have contacts and will know of good opportunities for you. Also, Matt Ripper, the Business Administration/Management Internship coordinator at SHU, is a great contact for your questions about internships.

Most importantly, apply. No matter what the internship is, it will open up more opportunities for the future. It may even create a job after graduation.