Working as an internship is an excellent way to gain on-the-job experience before pursuing your career. If you are seeking an internship, you are probably a student or recent graduate hoping to get your foot in the door. You might also be wondering how the experience will benefit you and whether it actually counts as employment. While most internships are short-term, they are a form of employment. More importantly the company for which you intern may offer you a permanent staff position if they are impressed with you. If you are not offered a full-time position with the company where you interned, the experience will enhance your appeal when applying for other jobs. Gaining work experience is a primary reason to pursue an internship. It is a well established means of preparing you for a career while developing new skills. Some student-interns even get the opportunity to make presentations at conferences or contribute to industry publications and trade journals. Having internship experience tells a prospective employer that you have worked in the field and gained skills that will be applicable to the position for which you are applying. This sets you apart from many of the other candidates applying for the job. When hiring managers are sifting through resumes, yours is likely to stand out. Internships are usually short-term positions that can be used by companies as a recruitment tool. It is an opportunity for them to evaluate a student's performance and skill level before making a decision about whether to offer a full-time position. Although, it is not a permanent position, the company is still employing you and entrusting you with responsibilities. Many internships are paid positions while others are not. For example, internships in engineering usually pay quite well. In 2011 they averaged about $18 per hour. Non-paid internships offer valuable work experience that helps enhance a resume. Whether paid or not, the work is still a form of employment. Potential employers will acknowledge your work as such.- Hemera Technologies/Photos.com/Getty Images