When you’re in college, the topic of what you want to do in life is never far away. The internship subject can be a challenging one for students. They often know what they want to do but can’t seem to get there or end up taking whatever experience or job is offered without much thought.
It’s important to spend time planning how to get the experience you need in the field that interests you while you’re still in college. Waiting until you graduate to get work experience can make you less competitive in the job market because employers are drawn to candidates who have work experience. An internship is more important than ever and can be an invaluable part of your education.
Lauren Berger, CEO of Intern Queen Inc. and author of “All Work, No Pay,” talks about her college experience and how she completed 15 internships that gave her a broad view of different jobs and led her to a career path that was a good fit. She outlines five components of an internship that serve as a strong foundation and help you set up good career habits that will benefit you throughout your career.
These five components apply to paid and unpaid internships:
Hands-on education – No matter how hard you have studied, there is nothing like working in an actual work environment, watching how problems are solved and observing how management operates. It is important to gather as much hands-on experience as possible before you graduate.
Networking – This is an area you’ll be focusing on throughout your career, because your career opportunities are largely based on who you know and who knows you. As an intern, your job is to meet people. The managers and colleagues you meet during this time can serve as future contacts and help you with job leads. How you perform during your internship gives them a glimpse of your possible behavior as an employee.
Resume-building – An internship experience adds to your resume, and to a prospective employer it spells “experience,” which makes you a stronger candidate. What you achieve during the internship and your contribution to specific projects become strong accomplishments on your resume.
References – Making good impressions and developing a professional image are critical steps in your career. During your internship, you need to develop good rapport with decision-makers who can speak highly of your contributions or work style.
Pursuit or elimination – I like the way Berger describes this area and agree that too many students tend to put pressure on themselves by worrying about whether their internship experience will be successful. All internships are beneficial, either by confirming if you are on the right path or indicating you may need to go in a different direction. Experience is valuable and cannot be taken away from you. It adds to your background when you’re writing your resume and shaping your understanding of the direction you want to pursue.
The competition for any job will be strong, and while you’re in school, it pays to focus your time and energy on gaining experience and building relationships. Keeping these five components in mind will make a difference in how you view an internship and will help you make better decisions.
How did an internship affect your career choice?
