Year after year, bright-eyed, eager college graduates flood the job market looking for potential employers. In today’s darkening economy, many of these recent grads opt for an internship with a company they’re interested in working for instead of diving directly into the more cut-throat work force.

But where does that leave the students who rely on these potential internships to make connections for future careers? In today’s competitive market, students (and their parents) will pay companies to help them refine their résumés, edit cover letters and ultimately secure the lucrative internships that we as students are expected — and sometimes required — to maintain.

In recent years, many of these internship-placement companies have arisen, enabling students to secure these elusive positions.

One of several internship placement companies found nationwide, the University of Dreams, has set up mock summer-camp programs that enable students to participate in an eight-week summer internship while providing them with on-campus housing. The cost: a mere $5,000 to $9,500.

Other companies, like Fast Track Internships, helps students to bulk up their résumé, edit cover letters as well as identify several hundred possible internships to apply for. Cost: around $800.

However, these internship programs are not the bulk of it. Some companies follow the new trend of selling their internships — many in the more glamorous fields of fashion or politics — to potential employees and donate the proceeds to a non-profit organization. While the end result of these organizations may seem beneficial, the means by which it comes about are distressing.

The outright purchasing of internships remains jarring to me as it limits the job market to those who — or whose parents — are able to pay for it. The divide between the haves and the have-nots becomes more and more expansive as it becomes increasingly important for careers to find and obtain internships.

While the ability of some to pay for these internships limits the job market to those who already have money and are willing to pay for future connections, it also creates a false sense of security among those who do have those means. The job-seeking experience is mandatory to maintaining employment in the future, and even rejection holds certain importance as an undeniable part of the job market.

Sometimes obtaining an internship is as easy as contacting the right person at the right time. For others, qualifications limit who can even apply. Either way, it is important to act professionally when contacting potential employers, and to expect to be treated so. Utilize the network of family and friends that you already have — maintain these connections and make new ones. Networking is key. Also, set specific goals for yourself, and recognize what you want to accomplish.

Now, when many companies are offering entry-level jobs and internships to college graduates, instead of the typical junior or senior, it’s important to have made connections and maintain them. However, you need not dispense thousands of dollars to do so.

Reach contributing columnist Emily McFadden at opinion@dailyuw.com.