In An Internship
Posted By admin On 10/04/22In the past few years, it’s become increasingly common for college students to have a paid or unpaid internship under their belt by the time they graduate. To be competitive in the workforce and give yourself a leg up in the job search after graduation, it’s more necessary than ever to apply for meaningful internships.
Internships require you to both work individually and within a team. You learn to communicate in new ways to build professional working relationships with people of all ages. This is great because it allows you to be open to other peoples ideas and to get creative in a team in order to build better ideas and ultimately, to build a better company. An internship enables you to gain first-hand exposure of working in the real world. It also allows students to harness the skill, knowledge, and theoretical practice they learnt in university. You can acquire endless amounts of education in your life, however, that knowledge doesn't always translate to the working life. Student internships give you the opportunity to start building your professional and social network with fellow interns from around the world. You’ll also meet a wide range of P&G people, including senior leadership, subject matter experts, and the employees helping us build our leading brands every day.
In order to figure out that type of internship would be right for you, here are some answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about internships.
What exactly is an internship?
Simply put, an internship is on-the-job work experience that is either related to your career interests or current field of study. Internships can be paid or unpaid, and can take place during the academic year or during the summer. All internships are short-term but can last anywhere from a single week to a full year. Most internships function as training opportunities and some, especially ones that take place during the school year, can be research projects where a professor or a company wants a student to study a new topic of interest.
What type of experience can you get out of an internship?
Regardless of when the internship takes place or how much it pays, the experience can provide you with a number of invaluable opportunities. For example, you can:
- Learn about different work environments and get a taste of the “real world.”
- Build new skills and tweak ones you already have.
- Broaden your professional network, gaining contacts and future recommenders along the way.
- Benefit from one-on-one mentorships.
- Get a sense of what happens in multiple departments at a company.
- Try out a career without having to make a full commitment.
- Possibly get college credit (if it’s an unpaid internship).
- Turn an internship into a full-time job opportunity after college.
Not every internship is the same, and what you do day to day can vary widely depending on the company. What’s most important is to understand what you’re going to get out of an internship and to check if that aligns with your career goals.
Some may give you more hands-on experience and others may provide a chance to shadow key executives or take part in weekly meetings. One company may offer you the chance to dive deeply into a single project and present your findings to company leadership; another may give you the chance to work across departments, giving you broad exposure to many parts of a company at once. Asking yourself what you want to get out of an internship is critical to knowing what’s going to be the best fit for you.
Now that you have the basics under your belt, check out the internships available on WayUp and get ready to find the perfect one for you!
Next, get more career tips for internships and entry-level jobs such as How to Follow Up and find answers to common interview questions such as What’s Your Dream Job?
You need experience to get experience. This seems to be the biggest issue for young adults transitioning into the workforce these days.
Employers in today's labor market rely heavily on resumes that illustrate a relevant work history, whether that's from internships, volunteer work, or actual job experience.
A practical work background carries a major significance when attempting to enter the job market. It's all about competition.
Not only are businesses competing against each other for a competitive advantage, but people are also competing to land that coveted position in a company.
Even your buddy who graduated with you in college has become your competition.
Take a moment and think about it. If you're looking to gain experience, working as an intern is arguably the most advantageous plan of action.
That one internship you did over summer could be the difference between winning a job opportunity or losing it.
If that information alone isn't compelling enough, we have compiled a list of reasons why partaking in internships are important for your future career.
1. An Internship Provides Real Life Experience and Exposure
If you're lucky enough to snag a beneficial internship, it can be remarkably valuable towards your career.
An internship enables you to gain first-hand exposure of working in the real world.
It also allows students to harness the skill, knowledge, and theoretical practice they learnt in university.
You can acquire endless amounts of education in your life, however, that knowledge doesn't always translate to the working life.
The great thing about internships is that it teaches young professionals about the specific industries and companies they are interested in.
Even the experience of trying something new is extremely beneficial.
A lot of people get stuck in routines, staying in the same town, attending the same schools or surrounding themselves with the same people.
Doing an internship exposes you to new people in a more controlled and stable environment.
An intern isn't thrown into the wolves but rather given proper training, assignments, and duties without the added pressure.
Internships provide a nice learning curve for students with little experience of the professional world.
2. The Opportunity To Learn More About Yourself
Lessons Learned In An Internship
'Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom.' - Aristotle
The experiences we go through are what shapes us. Your internship will not only encourage personal development, but also a greater understanding of self.
To know yourself is to know your goals and how to best achieve them.
Finding this level of clarity is difficult, but sometimes all it takes is trying someone new, out of your comfort zone.
For example, take a Business Marketing student who decides to do an internship related to his field of study.
That internship will give them a chance to explore what a career in business marketing would be like. Sometimes, reality does not meet expectations.
At this point, the student is given a chance to decide whether they wish to continue with their current career path or try something else.
3. Get Connected and Develop Your Professional Network
Networking is an exchange of information between people, with the ultimate goal of establishing acquaintances and relationships to advance your professional career.
Sure, you can attend a networking event without doing an internship, but you would be limiting yourself.
Partaking in an internship allows you to establish deeper relationships than you normally would talking to a stranger one-on-one.
Being an intern gives you more opportunities to build connections with company professionals that can be very beneficial for your future career.
According to Timothy Butler, a professor at Harvard Business School, 'The biggest mistake that people make networking is that people don't do it.'
Even if you think you don't need it, it's always good to have a backup plan. Life is unpredictable and a time may arise when a network may come in handy.
Make sure to carry some business cards at all times because networking can occur anywhere or anytime, even at a local coffee shop you frequent!
4. Prevent CV From Going To The Trash
While you may get second chances when talking to someone face-to-face, your resume will not.
Think of your resume as an extension of yourself and how you would want someone to perceive you.
Instead of thinking long term about landing that job, switch up your mindset to short term. Your short term goal should be to secure a job interview.
Once you get an interview, then you're able to elaborate on why you're deserving of working with this company.
So now you may be asking, 'How do I get a job interview?' Well, there is one specific section on your resume that employers will be more interested in than any other section.
Experience! Internships are the perfect way to enhance your resume through relevant experiences.
When an employer sees that you've completed an internship over the summer, for a hefty 6 month span, or even abroad, it will go a long way to convincing them that you are an asset to their company.
It's not enough to simply show you've spent some time as an intern. List the tasks you've done and projects you've participated in to demonstrate your value.
During your internship you can acquire new skills and abilities which can improve yourself as a young professional, and furthermore enhance your resume.
The more experience you acquire, the better you position yourself for success in landing a job.
5. Transition Into A Full-Time Position
Sometimes graduating from college and immediately jumping into a new job position has its disadvantages.
When you start out, you are the most vulnerable employee when it comes to layoffs.
If you have never worked full-time before, the change may be difficult or overwhelming. In a working environment, not every boss is tolerant of mistakes.
In an economy where you likely cannot afford to lose your job, not being able to quickly adapt can be devastating.
Internships offer opportunities to transition into full-time positions.
Although it is not guaranteed, most employers are always seeking to add value to their organization.
With an internship, you're given the opportunity to showcase your talents, commitment, and value to a prospective employer.
Furthermore, employers are more inclined to hire you once they have invested time and money to train you.
Given these points, an internship is more than crucial for your future career. An internship is the building blocks necessary for creating the path to a successful career.
So next time you're on a gap year or summer break, you might want to consider indulging in a meaningful internship and build towards your future.
If you're ready to start your international internship, apply now to a destination in Asia and the career field of your choice!
Do you agree that internships are important for future careers? Let us know your thoughts.