Professional experience prior to college graduation is becoming increasingly important as the job market becomes more and more competitive, and such training generally occurs through internship opportunities. In 2014, 80% of employers viewed recruiting as the primary function of internships, which explains why 61% of college graduates who were offered a job immediately following coursework had internship experience, likely because such programs provide new skills, work experience, and mentorship/networking. Many companies will not even consider applicants who do not have work (or at least volunteer) experience in the field. These statistics illustrate the importance of an internship as part of undergraduate studies, but imagine the data if one started their professional experience while still in high school.

Pre-collegiate internships are also becoming increasingly more popular — and therefore necessary for professional experience and success. Furthermore, 60% of employers stressed the importance of students focusing on their careers in high school, and 90% agreed that internships can greatly assist with this, stating that it would offer students a competitive advantage when seeking future internships and full-time jobs. In fact, 70% of companies claimed that such an internship would “very likely” or “completely likely” land the individual a college internship, and 45% claimed that it would “very likely” or “completely likely” turn into a full-time job.

Due to issues regarding labor laws, confidentiality, required training, and other factors, high school students may not be able to immediately jump into the specific position that they one day hope to have full-time. Rather, interns who are still in high school are mainly tasked with social media marketing projects, data entry, and administrative work. While these are not necessarily the end-goals for the intern, the positions nevertheless provide work experience, new skills, and job offers. Additionally, such opportunities help ensure that the student makes a well-informed career decision (by allowing for exploration of various paths) while developing confidence and job skills as well as building a professional network.

To find potential internship opportunities, it is often best to consult family friends and connections, companies and businesses that you frequent, or your high school guidance office. If those options do not prove fruitful or do not give options that suit your intended plan, consider searching the following sources:

When you find an internship for which you want to apply, it is important to have a well-crafted resume that highlights what makes you a strong candidate for the position. Be sure to include your education and past work/volunteer experience, and subsequently highlight the skills and traits that exemplify your talent. For instance, if you are a team player, an innovator, and a leader, be sure to list those characteristics on your resume and illustrate accordingly with examples. And much like the application process for a college internship or a full-time position, companies who hire for high school internships place heavy importance on interview performance, academic performance, and letters of recommendation.

While high school internships are on the rise, because they are not necessarily “the norm” yet, such opportunities can help set high school students apart from their peers in the college admissions race as well as scholarship competitions. Admissions offices and scholarship committees will see that you are a motivated candidate, one who is willing to work hard and face challenges.

Today’s job market is incredibly competitive, and with the rise of the global economy, it is only going to become more and more so. There are countless ways to get a let up on the competition, and one way to do so is to start early: gain skills, experience, and a professional network when you are still in high school.