In April 2014, only 16.6 percent of college seniors received a job offer from a professional organization, according to InternMatch.com.

According to the Director of Career Services at the Center for Student Success, Dr. Butch Gardner, employers are more likely to hire a recent graduate with internship experiences over another graduate with the same qualifications, but without an internship.

“Internships are invaluable experience for college students,” Gardner said. “It puts them ahead of the game, in terms of being hired, after graduation if they have that internship on their resume.”

The Center for Student Success provides free resume writing skills, job search skills, mock interviews for students preparing for a job interview, seminars and career events.

Sophomore Jonathan Godsey was offered a youth internship through a Career Services event C-Harmony, designed for college students seeking a youth internship to meet and interview with churches from all over the country.

“I knew I wanted an internship, but I just didn’t know how to get started,” Godsey said. “I’ve never had an easier way to apply for so many interviews in such a short period of time.”

Junior Savannah Rackley was also hired through C-Harmony as a youth intern for the upcoming summer. Some of her responsibilities will include teaching classes, mentoring and building relationships with the girls in the youth group.

“My biggest advice for people searching for internships is to be yourself in the interview,” Rackley said. “Make sure you’re not overthinking it because I think whenever you do that, nerves get in the way.”

Junior Matthew Shafer was recently hired for his second internship at National Instruments, a company he said he feels he may eventually work for full time because of his internships.

“I submitted my resume to the career center and changed what needed to be changed,” Shafer said. “One of the nicest things about that is whenever a company goes through the career center website, they see an approved resume the career center helped you build.”

Gardner advises students to start a relationship with the Career Services center early on so students can be coached and helped effectively.

“The career center can give students an edge in terms of developing networking skills, developing interview skills and having a good resume to present,” Gardner said. “We know what employers are looking for and we know what kinds of experiences are good for students to have on their resume.”

The Career Services center is exploring the use of a new type of software called Career Spots. The software is a collection of videos on job searches and interviewing and resume-writing skills students can access any time.

For more information, visit the Career Services center website at www.harding.edu/career.