<p>Why are there so many internships out there that require experience? Isn’t the point of an internship to gain experience and learn?</p>
<p>That’s the point from a prospective interns point of view. For the employer offering the internship the point is to get a cheap source of labor that does the job well. </p>
<p>However… experience requirements aren’t always concrete. They are only as good as the interns applying for the position. If people with better experience are applying… well no matter what the requirements are they will get the job. On the other hand… if nobody with that experience applies. They will go with someone less experienced. It’s all about supply and demand. </p>
<p>I advise applying to the positions anyway. You don’t know what the other applicants are like.</p>
<p>also think about how you can package what you’ve done in a way similar to the experience they are looking for.</p>
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<p>Very true. For both internships and jobs alike, I would just try to sell yourself and your skills as best as possible. </p>
<p>For my very first job, I applied somewhere that required at least 1 year in a high volume restaurant. I applied, got an interview, and got the job because I made my previous experience with volunteering at high-volume/fast-paced environments relate to the job. I also kept noting that I was a very quick learner and I’m adaptable. </p>
<p>You should definitely apply, regardless of the requirements. And don’t forget to tailor your resume with your previous experiences to fit what the requirements your internship is seeking. Make note of what classes you took as well that may relate to the internship.</p>
<p>In addition to the above, for what it’s worth, employers have told me that sometimes they say that they require a certain amount of experience, not necessarily because they won’t take anything less than that but to narrow down the applicant pool. Many people will self-select and won’t apply, and it might leave a larger proportion who really want the job, are a good fit for it, and/or have more experience. I’m not saying that everyone does this or that it’s done with bad intentions, but I wouldn’t let it deter you, especially if it’s a entry-level position. Obviously, if they’re looking for something for management or something, they’re going to want someone with experience, but if it’s something that seems really low-level, I wouldn’t put too much weight on the experience required (as long as you have something that you can use to sell yourself). Sometimes, you just have to get creative with how you present yourself to employers to make it look like you’re a really good fit.</p>