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Alex writes for Internships.com, a destination site which helps students find college internships, prepare for work opportunities and discover their career interests.

You’ve probably got a lot on your plate now. Between college applications, midterms, extracurricular activities and — oh, yeah — trying to enjoy the end of high school, this fall is pulling you in a lot of different directions. But there’s one more thing you should keep in the back of your mind, even if you’re not ready to dive in just yet: Work experience may play even more of a role in landing your dream career than which college you attend.

Internships are a great way to fortify your resume and make connections at some industry-leading organizations, and with record unemployment levels among recent graduates, students are starting them earlier than ever to distinguish themselves from the pack.

So, what is an internship? Basically, it’s an arrangement in which an organization trains a student in its line of work. The intern takes away valuable resume-building experience, and the host is able to test out future talent. Internships can be paid or unpaid, but in many areas, the law mandates that unpaid internships must at least be redeemable for college credit.

Internships aren’t all about training, though. They can also be thought of as trial runs for career tracks you’re considering, but aren’t quite sure about. Since many are seasonal and the rest are typically part-time, they don’t involve lengthy commitments.

If you’re interested in pursuing an internship, talk to your guidance counselor about things you can do now to make yourself an attractive internship candidate for this summer, or maybe further down the road. Club and sports activities will help, as well as volunteer experiences or even personal projects you wouldn’t normally think of putting on your resume.

For example, in high school, I used to shoot and edit short digital video projects with my friends on Saturday afternoons, just for fun. Oddly enough, that experience helped me get paid summer work as a multimedia intern at Cars.com three years later when I came home from college. At the internship level, companies generally understand that you won’t have a wealth of experience, and instead look for demonstrated interest and raw talent.

Once you arrive on campus, you’ll have a lot more resources to explore the benefits internships have to offer. At minimum, most universities have a fall career fair where you can meet recruiters who are looking for bright, young college students. Try to leave the career fair with a few business cards or contact numbers. If you like what you hear, write the recruiter a thank-you note and ask if it’s possible to set up an informational interview to learn more about the industry.

You’ll probably want to take it relatively easy during your first semester, as you get acclimated to life away from home. But if you don’t feel overwhelmed by your class schedule, consider picking up a part-time or “virtual” (work-from-home) internship during your winter semester. Virtual internships often give you plenty of flexibility with your hours, and they still look good on a resume. They’ll also give you a distinct edge in locking down a strong internship opportunity when summer rolls around.

Filed under: Alex Braun • College Prep • Now Hiring • Outside the Classroom