How many of you have thought about getting an internship? Often internships are known to be unpaid and just a way of doing menial tasks like getting coffee or making copies. Even though there are internships which can land you in a position of menial duties, you can still find some worth the experience and position.
They are a good way of testing the waters. If you want to be in a specific career, getting a feel for the position and work environment can determine whether you can see yourself in that profession. Internships can be beneficial in many ways and treat it as a job. We’ll tell you why in a minute, but first let us look at how we can benefit from doing an internship.
What’s an Internship?
An internship is a position of a trainee where they gain pre-professional experience in the career of their field of choice. It is both an experiential and experimental component of learning and acquiring the necessary skills to enter the field or profession and be successful.
Whether you are trying to get more information on a profession or gain the skills, experiencing every day of the career you would like can open your perspectives of what it means and what to expect. Not all internships are alike; they differ in many ways and can offer you different opportunities.
Benefits of an Internship
There are a few advantages of getting an internship when you’re studying or before transitioning to a new career. It can be a rewarding experience when you put the effort to treat it as a job. Here are some of the perks of getting an internship.
- Real Experience – I know it’s common to hear, it can offer a real experience, but it is true. An internship allows you to apply theories and what you’ve learned in your academics onto the job. It’s an opportunity to work with others in the field, acquire skills needed, and learning experience to explore a career pathway or other career in the field.
- Networking – is often the most common word you hear as a student and employee. Internships are the perfect place to broaden your network and meet with professionals who you admire. It’s a position where you not only train for the profession but to learn to communicate with other professionals in a working environment. They can provide you with the resources you need to interact and network with other professionals in the industry and company to find a mentor or learn more about pressing issues in the industry. Plus, when you network with others and maintain a relationship, they are more likely to have written you a letter of recommendation.
- Time Management – working in a professional environment, the responsibility becomes more real and sets in as time is everything in a company with deadlines. It’s not about pushing off the task but getting it done to get to the result or until it is finished. Time is critical when it affects more than yourself but other departments.
- Building Blocks – internships help create your career foundation. When selecting an internship, you want to choose them based on your career prospects but is still an interest to you. They provide you with a way into the industry or in the company you see yourself working for since most internships can be a recruiting tool for some companies. It helps to build the blocks you need to show you have knowledge, experience, and perseverance.
In a time where some experience is asked for an entry-level position, internships are an excellent opportunity for you to acquire new skills and learn about the profession you seek. You will be able to gain the professional experience you need to get your foot through the door but also learn about the industry and the everyday work environment of that profession. It’s an excellent opportunity to seek, and part-take in as you go through your studies.