Although they started as apprenticeships, internships have been around for hundreds of years. By undertaking an internship, a person is able to learn a trade and be mentored. This helps to set them up for success.
While some internships can put a person on the fast track to success, others can end up being more or less a waste of time. This is why it’s so important to not just land any internship, but the right internship.
So what can the right internship supply you with? And what benefits can it bring you? Keep on reading and we’ll go over why taking the right internship can propel your professional career forward.
1. Job Experience
If you’re looking for a new job, your potential employer will probably ask about your education and job experience. If you are just entering the workforce for the first time, then you likely don’t have any true experience.
This is where an internship can really help you. With the right internship, you’ll be able to get valuable exposure to how a business in your chosen field runs. You’ll also be able to perform tasks in a real-world setting and even take part in official meetings.
2. Research Experience
Many interns end up being utilized for research. This can help you get a better sense of the internship and meaningfully contribute to the company. You can now test the research skills that you learned at college in a practical setting.
Some permanent research jobs require this kind of training. An internship can help you decide what kind of research you’re most interested in.
3. Access to a Variety of Departments and Tasks
Some internships, like marketing research, may assign you to a certain task each day. However, other companies may enable exposure to workers in different jobs and departments.
You might sit in on meetings, assist senior management, observe the daily functions of the office, or complete small tasks for projects. If your field of study was fairly general, then an internship could help you see how each department works and allow you to specify your career goals.
As operations and marketing expert Jasdeep Singh notes, you want to look for internships that provide you with an opportunity to determine your future career path.
4. Mentorship
A valuable mentor relationship can easily start with a simple personal connection. A good mentorship will benefit both the mentee as well as the mentor.
When you work as an intern, you might be able to meet a possible mentor naturally. You can then establish a relationship that will help you guide your career path.
A truly solid mentorship could last for the rest of your career, even as you take on mentees of your own.
When you do an internship in-person, you have the ability to show your personality. You’ll also be able to show respect and deference while you are looking for input and guidance.
An internship might create a situation for you where your relationship can organically blossom. This is true even if you end up working a full-time position at another company.
5. Help Guide Career Goals
While you’re in college, you might end up studying all kinds of subjects in order to figure out where your interests lie.
For some people, a college degree can help you figure out exactly what kind of career you want to pursue.
However, for other students, studying provides you with a variety of experiences and multiple career opportunities. When you work in the right internship, you’ll be able to gain job experience and introduce yourself to the daily tasks and rigor without a firm commitment.
Taking an internship can help you decide if your skills and personality fit at the company or even in a specific industry. You’ll also be able to meet people who can give you career guidance and advice.
6. Create a Professional Network
When you’re looking for a new job, you’ll usually have the most success by receiving recommendations from other people in your field. Internships are a useful way for you to expand your job network.
The people whom you’ll meet could be the most valuable connection to your future employment. Professional contacts will be better able to see your potential if you show enough willingness, enthusiasm, and curiosity.
7. Transition to a Permanent Job
If you enjoy your internship experience and like the people who you’ve been working for, then you might end up being hired for a permanent position at the company. Hiring managers like to use internships as an interview process so that they can decide which interns are going to be a good fit.
As an intern, you have a certain leg up over other potential employees. You’re already familiar with the staff and office culture. Transitioning to a permanent position may be an easier process for you than other candidates.
And even if that company can’t offer you a permanent position, you can still walk away with a variety of mentors and contacts in your industry.
The Importance of Knowing About the Benefits of the Right Internship
Just because you’ve been offered an internship doesn’t mean that you should take it. It’s important to find the right internship so that you can make the most valuable use of your time. Otherwise, you and the company you intern for will both end up wasting time and energy.
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