For many students, the idea of an internship seems intimidating and even scary.

For others, it’s the long-awaited chance to make that transition from an undergraduate life on campus to a professional standpoint as an adult in the real world.

Students who avoid internships may be hesitant due to stereotypes stuck to them: coffee runs for the boss, dodging through traffic to grab their lunch, making copies for the catty receptionist and, worst of all, not getting paid.

But Tuesday’s Career Services Internship Fair at the Convocation Center threw all those fear-inducing myths away.

“I had the best experience at my internship,” said alumna Theresa Pruneda. “I was a marketing intern for retail and because of this internship I have a great networking system and a solid portfolio.”

Pruneda graduated in May and jumped right into her career field without any of the “dirty work.”

“I never did coffee runs or anything like that,” Pruneda said. “I went right into marketing, budgeting and working with teams to actually promote and make new ideas for companies.”

The fair proved most businesses are looking for actual assistance in the workforce. Whatever you want to do as a career with today’s opportunities you can do right away in an internship.

Some internships, like the one Pruneda had, give credit to the students while they are in grad school.

“My professor oversaw my work I brought in, and I received three credits for being an intern,” she said.

It looks like those internship myths are busted. But of course, not all internships are peachy perfect. Most internships are not paid, as I learned from the fair.

But if you think about it, although you aren’t getting a paycheck, you are gaining experience, networking skills and an impressive portfolio.

That’s what seems to matter the most to students, anyway.

“I wouldn’t mind if I didn’t get paid,” said Eugene Marshall, sophomore business administration major. “As long as I get exposure in my field of career choice, good networking and the fact that I don’t have to do any runt work, it’s all worth it.”

There are definitely more pros than cons to getting an internship. NIU is here to help us through all of our struggles, worries and expectations of getting a career after college. If students are looking to get an internship through NIU, Career Services can help them get exactly what they want.

They can assist with preparing resumes, practicing for interviews and earning an internship.

Students participating in an internship can explore career options and gain job experience. That doesn’t seem too scary anymore.

Businesses aren’t looking for coffee runners, lunch delivery drivers and copy makers. They look for innovators, thinkers and doers.

Career Services can get students on the right track to find exactly what they are looking for.

Career Services has many programs, like Huskies Get Hired, an online job search tool students can use to get the best internship they want to pursue their goals. A good internship will likely lead to the best career they could hope for.