With winter break around the corner, students are thinking about ways to maximize their newfound free time.

For many students, internships are the best way to gain knowledge in their field, while giving them a competitive edge in the job sector.

Beverly Robbins, career services specialist at Career Services, said internships are great opportunities for students to gain work experience because most entry-level positions require a background.

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Caroline Ebelhar, a senior from Marion studying management, said when she transferred to the university as a junior, she was not very interested in internships.

“I didn’t think it was that important. I was still under the mindset that a degree would be enough,” she said.

After doing an externship — a week-long learning experience similar to an internship — with the Alumni Association, Ebelhar said she quickly changed her mind because alumni explained that she needed real-world experience.

“I don’t always remember everything I learned in the classroom because it’s all so different, but once you’re in the work environment, you can make the connection,” she said.

Robbins said Career Services, SIUC’s career planning and employment services agency, uses Saluki Recruiting, their online database, to helps students interact with recruiters and find internships.

“Applying for an internship is like applying for a full-time job and career,” she said.

Robbins said students should remember that recruiters are looking for someone who will fit into a professional work environment. She said students  should keep in mind that factors such as dressing professionally and punctuality are important.

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Ryan Madigan, a sophomore from Gurnee studying radio-television, said he is currently working out the details of an internship opportunity in Houston.

Madigan said by networking with the alumni in his fraternity he was offered an internship in his field.

He said he wants to continue to look for internships throughout his undergraduate career, and pay could become a factor as he considers future positions.

Ebelhar said having a paid internship can be beneficial and sometimes a necessity, as some internships require long work hours, which may make it difficult for students to have a job.

She said even though earning money is nice, sometimes the experience gained can be considered a form of pay in itself.

“An internship is an opportunity to build yourself as a brand, and although it may not be paid, it can be a trade-off … there are the pros and cons but it’s about the experience,” Ebelhar said.

Similar to Madigan, many students find internships through networking and they can even develop future opportunities.

Ebelhar said networking is about finding a job, having connections and gaining experience, and if it was not for networking, she would not have gained either her externship or internship.

For students who think it’s too late to look for internships, Robbins said it’s never too late to start.

“Even as an intern you gain work experience; it’s about making yourself more employable,” she said.