Working as an intern is a very common practice these days among students and young entrepreneurs to gain hands-on experience of the career path in which they are interested. This article will give you insightful knowledge about why internships are important and the benefits of an internship.
Let us start with WHAT IS AN INTERNSHIP?
An employer hires students or inexperienced individuals who are willing to work under him to learn the skills and gain practical knowledge of his job. This kind of learning which happens for a fixed amount of time (say 3-6 months or a year) is known as an internship program.
Internships can be paid or unpaid depending on the mentor that you are working for. Generally, internships are unpaid as the basic idea behind it is to gain knowledge and become more acquainted with the work ethics rather than earning money. If you have gained a good knowledge by doing several internships then chances are you will have a secured and reputed job in the future that earns you a fairly good amount of money which will be like a payback for all the time that to spend on learning and improving yourself. Everyone should have a question that what employers are looking for in an intern? Most employers these days give preferences to those who have a good experience and have done internships beforehand.
Some of the benefits of an internship are:
- Practical knowledge
- Enhancement of communication skills
- Developing confidence
- Learning teamwork
- Building up a network
- Exploring new career fields
- Strengthening the resume
- Job opportunities
Let us have a look at each of these points in a brief,
1. PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE:
All the things that you have been taught in your school or college are merely text-based learning and it is often limited to your syllabus. Actual learning happens when you move away from the four walls of your classroom and step into the field. This way you learn all the technical aspects of the job which is quite different from what’s taught by books. Internships are a great way to aid this process of practical learning as, you are not bound by a job responsibility or a desire to earn money, rather you are more open to new experiences, learning, and managing time.
2. ENHANCEMENT OF COMMUNICATION SKILLS:
While working as an intern you enhance some of your basic personality development skills. One of which is communication. You come in contact with many new people, you give your inputs in the form of new ideas, you come up with new strategies, and you are asked for certain tasks to be get done. All these things help you in communicating freely and efficiently with your co-workers and your mentor which will ultimately help you in the long run when you are working professionally.
3. DEVELOPING CONFIDENCE:
Many times you are not sure about a particular job or a career. You don’t feel confident about whether you will be able to do it or not. A simple solution to build up your confidence and test yourself is to work as an intern for that job and enhance your confidence to ace the interview. Many of your misconceptions will be cleared out and you will be a lot more confident once you have a thorough knowledge by actually doing that job. Once you are confident about it you can only move forward and get better opportunities in your desired field. A good read
4. LEARNING TEAMWORK:
Working in groups and with a team requires patience and good management. These skills are automatically developed during an internship as you are often given group projects to work on. You require to coordinate with your co-workers and your mentor all the time to keep them updated about your work. Teaming up with other people to get the work done will help you in understanding how you can assemble people with different skills to complete a task appreciably.
5. BUILDING UP A NETWORK:
You will meet many new people while working as an intern. These people will mostly be related to the job that you are doing and some will be just random ones. But building this network of contacts will be of great use to you in the future when you start earning. Through an internship, many people also get to know you and some may even help you out in further enhancing your career. Your mentor and co-interns will also be a vital part of your network-building skills.
6. EXPLORING NEW CAREER FIELDS:
Often you are confused about which field to choose and which one will be most suited according to you. Several different internships and exploring your options will give you a clear idea about which field you shall pursue. A lot of employers are open to interns looking for just experience and learning. You can do such internships for short durations and have an idea about various fields.
7. STRENGTHENING THE RESUME:
The more experience you gain while working with different mentors as their interns, the better and more impressive your resume will become. For job hiring, most companies prefer a resume that has a lot of field knowledge and practical working experience. So the next time you apply for an internship, keep in mind that this will be highlighted in your resume and your work itself will speak for you.
8. JOB OPPORTUNITIES:
A lot of interns are kept for permanent job positions after they have completed their internship duration. Look out for companies that provide guaranteed jobs to their interns and this will benefit you a lot, physically and economically. Not only you will be acquainted with the work beforehand, but also your workplace will be friendlier for you. You will know the work ethics and other employees will be always at your help. These kinds of internships secure your future.
These days there are a lot of options available if you are looking for an internship program. You need to keep your eyes and ears open all the time and keep a good knowledge of all the current happenings around you. Many firms or local businesses are now familiar with the concept of interns and they are looking out for young and enthusiastic individuals. You can apply for online certified internships where you need to give a part of your day to work for home. These internships are not only convenient but also provide several other certified online programs to train and guide you for your work. Many firms and companies also provide summer internship programs wherein you can apply for it during a break from your studies and utilize your vacations to gain practical knowledge.
CONCLUSION:
Increase your network by talking to new people and telling them about your interests so that if they have an internship in mind they will let you know. Don’t hesitate from trying out new things and exploring various fields. Your curiosity and the zeal to learn more will keep you ahead of others. Keep yourself updated and apply by sending a resume or email applications for internships to several different places. You never know when an opportunity arrives knocking on your doorstep.
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