subject: What Internship Is Right For Me [print this page] Employers often request that college graduates have "real world" experience, and internships are one of the best ways to achieve that.
Internships provide an opportunity to experiment and pursue careers that match your academic and personal interests.
Internship partnership programs are important career builders and can give you your firsthand experience in a vast amount of fields and services. Having this type of 'real experience' under your belt will add value to any career. It's always a good idea to enroll on an internship in an area where you either have a general interest or have already gained qualifications.
Here are a few ideas and things to consider that can help you find the right internship.
Define your career goals with an internship - they are great tools to help you understand what career path you want to take. Do you have an interest in the investment banking field for example? If so, look for an investment bank (preferably a big name bank) where they are looking for interns. Or do you have an interest in social activism? You have several options with this type of interest, either with a charitable activist group or even a local politician.
Internships are useful since they offer you excellent exposure and the chance to explore new and exciting career fields.
Why do you want to enroll on an internship? Before you head off into the 'internship world' - this is a key question you must ask yourself. What experiences and achievements do you want to take away from an internship? It could be a lot of different things such as gaining entry into the organization or just learning the field.
Do you know which kind of business or organization you want to be a part of? There are huge variety of companies from non profit to Fortune 500 organizations to look into.
When it comes time to write a resume, choosing the right company is an important factor to consider.
Choose an industry that both suits you and that greatly interests you. Knowing what job you want to eventually do can be easy, but if the job exists in a variety of fields - which one do you choose? Interning helps you identify this or clear up misconceptions that you may have about yourself.
You have hundreds or thousands of options, when it comes to deciding on where you want to enroll on an internship. Do you want to complete a year out from studies, or do you just want to enroll on summer internship somewhere across the other side of the globe? This is something which you need to consider before your search for internships.
Internships are usually unpaid, although some pay is associated with some of them. Having a professional attitude towards this is fundamental - you understand that that the internship is giving you more than just theory! Financial constraints may be a deciding factor in your choice of an internship.
When searching for the internship of your choice, it is important to set aside enough time to locate and apply for the right one. Work with a career counsellor, speak with faculty members, review career resources, check out the classified ads for potential employers, and check with college alumni; these are some of the best sources for internships.
And don't forget that internships are very competitive, because the people on them could all be hoping to get the same position in a particular company. So it's a good idea to follow up with the interviewer, after the initial visit. It's also a good idea to write a great resume and letter to go along with it when applying. And something else which is very important is to improve (by practicing) your skills in the interview room. And make sure you follow up after the interview. If you really want the internship, you should be persistent but don't over do it as you could offend the interviewer.
