Internships – Opening The Door To Great Careers
The number of available internships is growing. More than 50% of companies in a recent survey said they were planning to hire more interns this year and there are some pretty amazing sounding gigs you could line up. Some pay well, some pay a little and most of them don’t pay anything, but a chance to feel what it’s like having a real job. You may be wondering if an internship will give you an advantage in scoring an actual career doing something you love. The good news is the vast majority of interns; over 80% said it was a positive experience. Here are some things you need to consider when you are thinking about an internship.
What is Your Motivation
If you are limiting yourself to internships that pay and are just looking for a temporary part-time job until something better comes along then you are probably not getting the most out of the opportunity. It’s also likely that your attitude is going to show in your work and employers will notice when you have a lack passion.
Chance of Getting an Interview
When you are applying for an internship, the interview is possibly the most important part of the process. It gives you a chance to practice for that all-important job interview. Even if you are not sure you are the right fit, if they are interviewing all or almost all applicants in person then consider it as a free class in how to ace a job interview. 66% of employers believe that the interview performance and relevant experience are the most important qualities they consider when hiring. If you are more relaxed because you are just going in to “practice” you might surprise yourself and land the gig.
How Do Companies Feel About Interns?
The interview is also a great place to probe a little bit with your own questions. Sure, some internships are, well, to put it politely, a trifle mundane. You are, after all an intern. Finding out how much face time you will get with key people working in the organization, like management, researchers, engineers, etc. will give you a good idea if the internship is going to be a good fit. If it sounds like you are going to spend a lot of time in a windowless room stuffing paper into boxes, then maybe you need to look elsewhere.
How Interning Helps Your Career
Some fields reward the corporate soldier that works their way up while others reward people with a history of pursuing goals with a lofty purpose or who have proven themselves as entrepreneurs. A large company is almost twice as likely to offer a permanent job to an intern as a small company. If you are in law, medicine, or another field dominated by big organizations then an internship with one of the biggies might be perfect.
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