When students near the end of their first year at Mississippi State University, they may hear a variation of one persistent academic phrase. These students may be asked, “Have you got an internship for the summer?” Or they may hear, “You need an internship to look good on a resume.”

While these questions and concerns are valid and getting an internship is important, it does not always have to be within the student’s field of study.

I am an English major, and I am planning on becoming a professor. Contrary to what some would suspect, I took an internship with my local congressman in Washington, D.C. I took this internship not only because I love history, but also because it will also get me involved with a different side of the working world.

According to the 2023 SIM Career Guide, “When you take on an internship or job unrelated to what you studied, you are going to pick up a completely new set of skills unique to the area you are in. Although some skills may be more niche and specific, you will definitely pick up transferable skills.”

This is one of the reasons I am passionate about taking up internships that are not major related. A well-rounded person is more desirable in the workplace. It is important to know the skills of your trade, but if you know different skills, you may get a better idea of what you want to do with your future.

In an article published by gradsingapore, Anna Grace Savitha elaborates on the topic.

“Although the decision to complete an internship outside your field may be a smart one, it requires you to be brave enough to venture out of your comfort zone. Chances are, if you’re willing to grab the bull by its horns and charge ahead giving your all, you’ll benefit from the experience and boost your chances of easing your entry into the workforce after graduation,” Savitha said.

This exemplifies just how an internship will help you make connections for the future. The more connections a student has, the easier it will be for them to get a job after graduation.

An article for LinkedIn by Jennifer-Christine Madamba states “When people look at my resume or my LinkedIn profile, they’re a bit confused when they compare my undergraduate major to where I am today. In college, I remembered one of my friends actually saw my LinkedIn with different internship experiences and said it looked like I didn’t know what to do in life.”

Madamba used her internship experience to find a different job than the field she got a degree in. Having a diverse list of experiences worked in her favor, and it can help other students as well.

If students are yet to decide what they want to do with their life, they should pursue a few differing internships and see where it takes them. They might find a career path or special interest that they love.