New college graduates who had taken part in internships fared far better in the job market than their counterparts who didn’t gain that experience, according to a new report published by the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE).
 
Overall, results of NACE’s 2009 Student Survey found that just 19.7 percent of the Class of 2009 who had applied for jobs had one by the end of April. In contrast, 23 percent of graduates with an internship under their belt had a job in hand at that time. For those who didn’t do an internship, the job market was especially unwelcoming: Just 14 percent of those who hadn’t been interns landed jobs as of April.

“It’s not surprising that employers look first to their interns—who have a track record with the company—when they have jobs to fill,” says Marilyn Mackes, NACE executive director.

NACE’s study also found that more than half of the seniors responding to the survey claimed to have internship experience, but just under one-quarter received job offers from the organization they served the internship with.

“The Class of 2009 saw significant cuts in hiring, and even an internship is not a guarantee of a job offer,” says Mackes. “However, the numbers show that, especially in a tough job market, the student who has an internship has a distinct advantage over students who don’t have that experience.”