By Fanarra
What do you gain from an internship? Is it really that important?
Internships are an opportunity to gain real life experience while still in school, helping you grow professionally and personally both inside and outside of the classroom. They are an opportunity to take the lessons you have learned in college and implement them in a work setting, and an opportunity to further explore what you want to do and what you find interesting.
Never take internships for granted. In some companies or organizations, this may or may not be, the gateway to earning the job of your dreams. But even if your internship comes to an end and you don’t land that full-time job, what you gain from successful internships is worth the time and effort you spend. Here’s why:
You now have first-hand professional experience and you have seen what it is like to work in the real world. This will make you a stronger candidate for other jobs you apply for. More than just adding to your CV, it gives you work experience to reference in your cover letters and during interviews.
You have expanded your professional network. Want to make connections in an industry that you do not know anyone in? An internship is a great place to start. You will have the opportunity to connect with managers, coworkers, and other interns. The best people to learn from are the people that have done it before. During an internship you will learn from professionals and experience working with a diverse team, not only will this prepare you for different personalities you will work with, but it will also help you build a professional network that you can reach out to at different stages in your career.
You gained some references. Internships are a good place to ask for letters of recommendations from your supervisor and/or teammates, and increase your credibility as a young professional. To best benefit, make sure to also ask for LinkedIn endorsements and references before you leave your internship.
You are one step closer to knowing what you actually want to do. Graduating and committing to your first job and an industry is a big step. While you can always change your mind later, an internship gives you the opportunity to learn more about what you want or do not want to do. It exposes you to a specific work environment and gives you the chance to assess whether it would be a right fit for you or if you would be happier doing something else.
You have gained professional skills. Most people that start an internship have that moment of, “I have no idea what I am doing”, and that is all part of the process. Throughout an internship you will learn new skills and strengthen the ones you already have. This will come in handy in your future jobs, as well as give you some insight into what you need to work or improve on.
You are given the flexibility to explore and learn. As an intern, you are perceived as someone who is willing to learn and given a chance to get involved in different projects and explore options within the workplace. Not being confined to a certain job can give you an advantage and open new doors.
After an internship you will be able to take a chance to reflect, tailor your classes to what you are interested in, and build your network. It brings you closer to discovering what you want to do, which is invaluable. It is worth mentioning that a large part of what makes an internship successful is the effort you put in. The advantages listed above are a good place to start to help you set clear goals before you start your internship and make an action plan to gain the most out of your experience.
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Fanarra
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