Internships are an extremely important addition to a college student’s arsenal of resumes. An internship can be paid or unpaid and can be a great opportunity to develop industry-specific skills, gain real-world work experience, try out a chosen career path, establish professional networking connections, and enable a recent college graduate to earn a advantage over their peers. developing character and professional development.
College graduates have spent 4 years learning a wealth of information on a variety of topics. They have narrowed their interests to a specific area and have been tutored by the best professionals in their field. A veteran college student has learned to perform certain tasks and what is expected of them as young professionals. An internship allows that same student to put their knowledge into a real-world application. By spending time in the work environment, a student has the opportunity to develop some quality portfolio additions and participate in events that students without an internship do not have access to. College students who are interested in finding a quality internship should evaluate their career goals and find an internship that can help them achieve those goals. Not all internships are paid or done with well-known companies, but the long-term benefits of smaller organizations should be considered. In a smaller company, the intern is usually responsible for more tasks, but this is an opportunity to DO more. While looking for an internship, a college student should reach out to employers rather than wait for them to find him. Most organizations have many different perspectives for a single internship, but you will have to prove yourself before and after you get a position.
Completing an internship allows a college student to take a driving test in their chosen career. The most recent graduates have never really worked in their field of interest. Internships allow a young professional to experience everyday life in their future career. The subtle etiquette of a work environment is a huge change from campus life and the more experience a person gets, the more comfortable they will be when it comes time to apply for a professional job. Applicants who have spent time producing in an office can easily prove their worth. This value is evident through quality portfolios, enthusiastic recommendations, and the trust that can be earned through hard work in a paid or unpaid internship.
When planning an internship, it is best to consider the rest of the school load. Many students choose to complete their internships during the summer semesters when their course load is much less. Another method is to plan your internship around classes that are less strenuous on a student’s schedule. If you still decide to complete your internship during the spring or fall semesters, I suggest that you inform your professors and the internship manager about your full schedule. This should not be used as an excuse, but rather as a notification that you will have to adhere to a strict and regulated work schedule. Another tip, don’t get left behind. Murphy’s Law will ensure that, inevitably, many deadlines coincide with each other. This problem is compounded to disastrous proportions when you are behind on school and work assignments. This creates a sink or swim situation. A college student who is taking classes and completing an internship at the same time must reorganize and re-prioritize his life, or fail and waste all the time, money, and effort it took to get this far.
Internships open the door to many networking opportunities. The old saying, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know,” applies to many job search situations. Take this, for example; two recent graduates are looking for work. Student A has higher grades, but has not connected professionally at all. Student B has average grades, but has spent countless hours participating in clubs, student organizations, and has volunteered his time in exchange for practical experience. Student A has to apply everywhere in the hopes that someone will see the value on his resume and mock portfolio. Meanwhile, student B receives a phone call from a former internship colleague who has a position available. Student B has an advantage because he has already proven himself to the prospective employer. This situation can work in many ways, and the tenant does not need to have actually worked with the applicant to see its value. Including these professionals in the network as a reference can obtain the same results. Interns also have access to quality mentors who are more than willing to share their knowledge with interested and worthy young minds. Mentoring opportunities can be found if you are genuinely interested in the work you are doing and the people you are working with. Asking relevant questions and completing an assignment will earn you the respect of those you come across while in the office. Then engage those around you with smart conversation, but it’s important to listen more than talk.
A college internship is a valuable source of work experience and additions to the portfolio. Including a professional internship on your resume is a good way to set yourself apart from other recent graduates. An employer automatically knows that the prospective employee has been “battle tested” and will be able to perform basic office tasks with ease. This is most evident, in my opinion, with internships in smaller organizations. These internships allow the college student to take on more responsibilities instead of drinking coffee and copying in larger, more well-known organizations. Nonprofits and small businesses are happy to have trainees. Their small budget makes them perfect for a cheap or free intern. Another characteristic that helps these organizations adapt well to an internship program is their ability to allow an intern to experience a variety of work situations. These varied assignments enrich the college interns’ skill set and professional portfolio.
Work experience has other facets in addition to work experience and the fattening of a portfolio. This opportunity to spend quality time in a professional office environment should not be taken lightly. This is an opportunity for a college student to communicate on a personal level with co-workers and superiors. Observing what these professionals actually do and how they behave is a great way for an intern to transcend from apprentice to doer. This personal development is invaluable for a young professional. Confidence is earned when a challenging task is completed through hard work and perseverance. The fact that an employer has entrusted a job of value to an inexperienced worker should weigh heavily on the mind. Take the pressure and use it as motivation. Resist the urge to panic when work gets tough and deadlines get shorter, because this is distracting and can block professional creativity.
There are many codes of conduct that are not taught in a university classroom. Placing yourself in an office environment allows you to learn to coordinate your schedule with others. Things that seem insignificant, like lunch hours and days off, should be scheduled with coworkers and supervisors in mind. Be available for shifts that no one else wants, because you make a great impression if you make it easy for your co-workers and superiors. This keeps you from looking like you have your own rights and shows others in the office that you are here to be a helping hand rather than a hindrance.
College is the perfect place to learn self-reliance and independence. An internship is a perfect place to put those qualities to work. During the college years, students shape their intellect. During an internship, a student begins to mold his character. A good combination of the two can have a huge impact on the rest of your career. Procrastination during class can help you get through lessons, but procrastination in the real world will teach you a lesson! One must find the motivation to focus on the job at hand. If a boss assigns a project, it should be a top priority. Hanging out every night and then starting a project a day or two ahead of schedule will earn you a passing grade in school, but for an employer, a lack of effort will show. Errors due to lack of preparation, research and proofreading are drastic when it comes to an internship because an honest manager will not give you an undeserved recommendation letter.
Internships may or may not be paid. The vast majority of them are unpaid and for a reason. Employers see unpaid or poorly paid internships as a good way to ease stress on a budget. However, the term unpaid can be misleading. The rewards earned during the internship can come in the form of money and work experience. Both rewards have real world value and substance. Hands-on lectures and training sessions can be expensive, and an intern gets similar results for free. To put in the amount of time it takes to be successful in an internship, it is sometimes necessary to quit all other jobs. Most college students and recent graduates already have financial difficulties and this is often a difficult situation. If a paid internship can be found, then the aforementioned burden can be avoided. Paid internships are rare and in a slow economy, highly competitive. Don’t worry though, because studies show that unpaid internships tend to be more challenging and therefore more rewarding.
In conclusion, I would like to emphasize the importance of applying oneself to the tasks assigned during the internship. Good opportunities don’t come up often in life. An internship is a good opportunity that can be very beneficial to one’s future career, but if not taken seriously, it can make it extremely difficult for a young professional to enter the world of work.