Searching for the right internship can be somewhat of a challenge. When you are unsure of which career path you want to pursue yet, it is even more difficult to narrow down your choices.
Whether you’re just looking to fulfill your university requirements or trying to gain more hands-on experience, here are some things to consider when choosing an internship.
1. Look for opportunities to learn new skills
One of the most important things to look for in an internship is new skills. Gaining new sets of skills should always be a priority, especially since you want to acquire as much knowledge as you can about your potential career field.
Gaining hands-on experience now can be a helpful learning curve in your future career.
2. Find a placement with good company culture
Choosing the right place is important because you’ll want to make sure that the company is a good fit for you. A company with a good working culture is said to have better employee engagement in comparison to those with toxic cultures.
Most companies now take pride in their flexible working culture, leaving room for growth as it makes you more adaptable to unique working environments, however, if you’re someone who prefers a fixed 9-5 job, try applying to corporates.
3. Keep in mind how it will look on your resume
In addition to learning new skills, it’s also important to think about how well it will look on your CV. Interning at a well-known company is a good way for potential employers to notice you in this competitive job market since you would be up against many other candidates.
The experience you’ll have interning at a well-known company can make a huge difference and could even possibly get you better opportunities to work on bigger projects in the future, so your focus should be on expanding your resume as a student or an entry-level candidate.
4. Use the opportunity to experience the real working world
Interning is a good way to discover the real “working world”, as it’s a lot different than what you may expect. This allows you to practice the skills you’ve learned about in theory and to know the task at the back of your hand.
When looking for internships, look for companies that have experienced professionals who are in the same industry as what you hope to do in your career. A good way to do this would be to do your research on LinkedIn.
5. Make use of your placement to build professional networks
Networking is important because connections are a great way to not only build your brand but also help fill job vacancies.
Statistics from this year show that 85% of jobs are filled via networking with personal and professional connections, so do what you will with this information.
Some internships can lead to full-time job offers with the company, so be sure to search for a place where you can grow and maintain relationships with others who can potentially help you further your career. LinkedIn is a great place to start.
