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How useful are internships?
I'm wondering if attending an internship would help my chances at getting an actual job, and if it matters if it's paid or not.
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8 answers
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Kelly’s Answer
Internships are a wonderful way to test out a field or sector while you're still in school. They can be a path to a permanent job offer - or might help you weed out fields or functions that you don't like! What you get out of an internship depends on what you put in. They are also a great way to understand a particular work environment (corporate office... manufacturing plant... creative agency...)
Paid or unpaid is really dependent on your personal needs. That said, if you're doing an unpaid internship, make sure you know if you can/should get college credit. Good luck!
Paid or unpaid is really dependent on your personal needs. That said, if you're doing an unpaid internship, make sure you know if you can/should get college credit. Good luck!
Updated
prakash’s Answer
Internships are best way to check out your interest and how it is applied in real world. Besides it is an environment in which you are not being judged on your performance, instead the focus is on your learning and development. It helps expand your network beyond your schoolmates. It is also an opportunity to explore few subjects of potential interest before your pursue your college degree. This is true for students in college before they chose the career. Some other incidental benefit includes enhancing written and oral communication skills, collaboration etc. Most big companies have structured internship programs where they take applications 6-9 months ahead of scheduled start date. For example if you are interested in internship in July, you probably want to apply in September of the previous year.
build your linkedin profile. www.linkedin.com
start following leaders/news in the industry of your interest.
prakash recommends the following next steps:
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Hayden’s Answer
Hi Aiden,
I recently graduated college with a degree in Public Relations and am now working full-time as a project manager. I think that having internships in college was really beneficial for me before entering my full-time career.
To be honest, I had two internships that do not relate much to the work I'm doing now. However, I do believe that these experiences helped me to get the job I have now because they taught me how to successfully manage my time. They also taught me how to communicate with professionals older than myself and overall helped me to gain some confidence for job interviews.
Any internship you have will help to prepare you in one way or another - whether it is basic skills like communication or organization, or more specific skills like data analysis - an internship will provide you with experience which is the key in finding a job. I've always told myself that some experience is better than none, even if it doesn't fully pertain to what you want to do in the future.
I have had one unpaid internship and one paid. Obviously getting paid is preferred, but it is important to consider the circumstances like: is the company small/ a start-up company or are they struggling to stay afloat? Like I said earlier, some experience is better than none, so if unpaid is the only option take it! On job applications it is rare that the recruiter will ask what internships were paid vs. unpaid. So I think it is a personal preference- but also make sure that you are being valued for the work you are doing!
LinkedIn has great internship opportunities - both paid and unpaid
I recently graduated college with a degree in Public Relations and am now working full-time as a project manager. I think that having internships in college was really beneficial for me before entering my full-time career.
To be honest, I had two internships that do not relate much to the work I'm doing now. However, I do believe that these experiences helped me to get the job I have now because they taught me how to successfully manage my time. They also taught me how to communicate with professionals older than myself and overall helped me to gain some confidence for job interviews.
Any internship you have will help to prepare you in one way or another - whether it is basic skills like communication or organization, or more specific skills like data analysis - an internship will provide you with experience which is the key in finding a job. I've always told myself that some experience is better than none, even if it doesn't fully pertain to what you want to do in the future.
I have had one unpaid internship and one paid. Obviously getting paid is preferred, but it is important to consider the circumstances like: is the company small/ a start-up company or are they struggling to stay afloat? Like I said earlier, some experience is better than none, so if unpaid is the only option take it! On job applications it is rare that the recruiter will ask what internships were paid vs. unpaid. So I think it is a personal preference- but also make sure that you are being valued for the work you are doing!
Hayden recommends the following next steps:
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Angela’s Answer
I echo every bit of Mariana's advice above.
In addition to learning the specialized skills of a particular field, and internship can also help bridge the transition from college into a working environment and hone your "People Skills" such as communication, teamwork, and work ethic which are essential to success.
An internship also provides exposure to the challenges of a work environment -- working under pressure, meeting deadlines, business culture, etc. When you miss a deadline in school, it only impacts you but when you miss a deadline on the job, it may have a bigger impact to other departments and the customer which can result in a loss of goodwill, credibility and business revenue. A hard lesson to learn as an intern but even harder if you are in a permanent role.
Many organizations even provide a buddy or mentor to help navigate this transition and help create a level of business savvy that education alone cannot provide.
In addition to learning the specialized skills of a particular field, and internship can also help bridge the transition from college into a working environment and hone your "People Skills" such as communication, teamwork, and work ethic which are essential to success.
An internship also provides exposure to the challenges of a work environment -- working under pressure, meeting deadlines, business culture, etc. When you miss a deadline in school, it only impacts you but when you miss a deadline on the job, it may have a bigger impact to other departments and the customer which can result in a loss of goodwill, credibility and business revenue. A hard lesson to learn as an intern but even harder if you are in a permanent role.
Many organizations even provide a buddy or mentor to help navigate this transition and help create a level of business savvy that education alone cannot provide.
Updated
Mariana’s Answer
Aiden,
Internships not only increase your chances of being hired directly by the employer but most importantly it allows you to experience the work in real life and see if this is the career path that is right for you. The professional experience you acquire by doing an internship allows you to identify what you like and dislike within your field or within the organization in general. Internships give you the opportunity to network, improve your communications skills, and professionalism.
I have seen that larger organizations are most likely to have paid internships, however, I would say the most important aspect of these internships is the experience and the networking opportunities that you may not be able to acquire anywhere else. Companies often prefer to hire interns as full-time employees because it lowers the training period, and they want employees that are committed to their organization.
I do suggest applying for an internship program that best fits your needs and future goals in your professional career. You are able to find internships during school job fairs, school programs, online, or even through a referral from a family member or friend.
Best of luck!
Internships not only increase your chances of being hired directly by the employer but most importantly it allows you to experience the work in real life and see if this is the career path that is right for you. The professional experience you acquire by doing an internship allows you to identify what you like and dislike within your field or within the organization in general. Internships give you the opportunity to network, improve your communications skills, and professionalism.
I have seen that larger organizations are most likely to have paid internships, however, I would say the most important aspect of these internships is the experience and the networking opportunities that you may not be able to acquire anywhere else. Companies often prefer to hire interns as full-time employees because it lowers the training period, and they want employees that are committed to their organization.
I do suggest applying for an internship program that best fits your needs and future goals in your professional career. You are able to find internships during school job fairs, school programs, online, or even through a referral from a family member or friend.
Best of luck!
Updated
Darrin’s Answer
Internships and work experience in general give you a leg up on looking for that dream job! You can learn a lot about yourself and the industry you want to be in by "trying it out". When I studied Chemical Engineering in school, I really loved the school work and projects but I still wasn't sure about what I could do with that specific degree. I was lucky enough to get into a summer internship at a pharmaceutical company where I worked in a lab for 3 months. I found out during that internship that I was too extroverted to be "stuck" in the lab all day. The science was interesting but in reality, a cancer drug would take at least 10 years to maybe be viable and approved. After I graduated college with my Chemical Engineering degree, I looked for different types of jobs that would expose me to challenging projects, a wide variety of networks/industries, and a faster paced results driven work. That's how I found out about consulting. It was very challenging to interview...but what gave me a leg up? My previous experience at my internship! My internship gave me skills/stories to illustrate how I deal with difficult coworkers, how I find ways to problem solve, and how I organize my thoughts/work. My internship gave me an advantage in finding out what I didn't like and what I eventually did like in a career.
Paid or unpaid will differ on the company and organization. I think the main value and benefit of work experience or an internship is the network of people that you can build on, the skills you can learn, and putting yourself out there to do something. I know people may be unsure about an unpaid internship but if that opportunity allows you to meet leaders and managers in that industry...they might possibly offer you a full paying gig if you prove yourself!
Example of my experience:
1. Looked for internship/work in the summer in high school --> found a gig to sell Alhambra water for $10/hour (not super cool...but it was money!)
2. Became the best Alhambra sales person for the 2 week temp job --> temp recruiter gave me more options where my personality would do well
3. Interned at Clorox for the summer working on car cleaning products --> gave me testing/experimentation to put on my resume
4. Applied for a summer internship at Genentech and got the job!
5. Graduated and didn't want to do lab work....went into technology consulting
Crazy how one opportunity led to another...but if I had rejected that water selling job, my path would've been very different!
Paid or unpaid will differ on the company and organization. I think the main value and benefit of work experience or an internship is the network of people that you can build on, the skills you can learn, and putting yourself out there to do something. I know people may be unsure about an unpaid internship but if that opportunity allows you to meet leaders and managers in that industry...they might possibly offer you a full paying gig if you prove yourself!
Example of my experience:
1. Looked for internship/work in the summer in high school --> found a gig to sell Alhambra water for $10/hour (not super cool...but it was money!)
2. Became the best Alhambra sales person for the 2 week temp job --> temp recruiter gave me more options where my personality would do well
3. Interned at Clorox for the summer working on car cleaning products --> gave me testing/experimentation to put on my resume
4. Applied for a summer internship at Genentech and got the job!
5. Graduated and didn't want to do lab work....went into technology consulting
Crazy how one opportunity led to another...but if I had rejected that water selling job, my path would've been very different!
Bob Moore
Supply Chain, Energy. Oil & Gas, Leadership, Management, Careers Overseas
52
Answers
Updated
Bob’s Answer
Working as an intern will generally help your chances of getting an actual job - but nothing is if for certain and everything is negotiable. High performing companies will generally include an Intern Program in their overarching Talent Management program if they have budget. For these organizations the Intern Program allows them to have a good look at you - and vice versa. Recruitment of good talent is one of the key roles of a manager and an organization, and ensuring they recruit the right person is critical - the intern program helps them manage the risk of not hiring the wrong talent. Before you take your Intern role be sure to discuss scope of the internship and whether it may lead to a full time role or not.
On your question of if it matters if it's paid or not - everything is negotiable. In general the companies should pay you or give you a stipend - nobody want to work for free it can be demoralizing and demotivating - that is however the leverage of the hiring company is so strong - e.g. 10,000 applicants for 5 dream jobs, but that will be your choice.
For any internship program look to understand the scope of the program - who you will be working for, if you will be working for more than one manager. You should look for a program that has a clear beginning, middle and end that can be easily documented and used to help build out your resume - usually internships are treated as projects, and as such you should have a final deliverable/presentations.
Lastly, the marketplace is very competitive now and hiring companies may not look so well on you if you do not do one or more internships.
Hope this helps.
On your question of if it matters if it's paid or not - everything is negotiable. In general the companies should pay you or give you a stipend - nobody want to work for free it can be demoralizing and demotivating - that is however the leverage of the hiring company is so strong - e.g. 10,000 applicants for 5 dream jobs, but that will be your choice.
For any internship program look to understand the scope of the program - who you will be working for, if you will be working for more than one manager. You should look for a program that has a clear beginning, middle and end that can be easily documented and used to help build out your resume - usually internships are treated as projects, and as such you should have a final deliverable/presentations.
Lastly, the marketplace is very competitive now and hiring companies may not look so well on you if you do not do one or more internships.
Hope this helps.
Updated
Narbeh’s Answer
Internships are one of the few ways to get yourself to stand out during job recruiting if you are about to graduate from university.
They also offer the added benefit of giving you an idea of whether you would like to do that job full time when you graduate.
On the first point. Think about how you are going to convince a company to take a chance on you after you have graduated. If you have good grades, that's a good start. But that's a safe environment. Having good bullet points on your one page resume (assuming you're recruiting towards the end of your university) is going to be how you separate yourself from your graduating peers. You'll get good bullets on your one page resume by listing your achievements (not duties). Definitely do it for the experience, what you'll learn, and what you'll be able to put on your resume. The internship itself might lead to a full time job offer for after graduating.
Another benefit is for your to figure out whether that is something you would like to do full time after you graduate. Do you enjoy doing this internship? You think you'll enjoying working in the field, the company, or around the people? If the answer is yes, then you feel a lot better about your career decision and you have created a network of people who know you and know what you can do. If the answer is no, then you've gained great experience and know what field not to go into.
I highly recommend internships because they give you experience and allow you to explore before committing to the job. Definitely opt for the paid ones if you can. It means the company has a structure in place for internships and wants to derive value from them. Lots of companies have formal internship structures and recruit for them at their target universities.
Look up some of your favorite companies and see if they offer internships.
They also offer the added benefit of giving you an idea of whether you would like to do that job full time when you graduate.
On the first point. Think about how you are going to convince a company to take a chance on you after you have graduated. If you have good grades, that's a good start. But that's a safe environment. Having good bullet points on your one page resume (assuming you're recruiting towards the end of your university) is going to be how you separate yourself from your graduating peers. You'll get good bullets on your one page resume by listing your achievements (not duties). Definitely do it for the experience, what you'll learn, and what you'll be able to put on your resume. The internship itself might lead to a full time job offer for after graduating.
Another benefit is for your to figure out whether that is something you would like to do full time after you graduate. Do you enjoy doing this internship? You think you'll enjoying working in the field, the company, or around the people? If the answer is yes, then you feel a lot better about your career decision and you have created a network of people who know you and know what you can do. If the answer is no, then you've gained great experience and know what field not to go into.
I highly recommend internships because they give you experience and allow you to explore before committing to the job. Definitely opt for the paid ones if you can. It means the company has a structure in place for internships and wants to derive value from them. Lots of companies have formal internship structures and recruit for them at their target universities.
Narbeh recommends the following next steps: