What is an internship and how do I get one?
If you are here,
you are probably just starting to wonder “what is this thing that everyone is
on about?” Are internships all that important? These are questions all students
face at some point in their college lives as internship fairs and then
enthusiastic peers make it impossible to escape the idea!
Internships are
extremely valued in some job sectors. Many students also do internships solely
to earn some money and there are internships of many types as well catering to
these needs.
Internship Explained!
To simply define an
internship, one can say that it is a limited period of work experience
offered by an organization. An internship helps one understand the
inner workings of an organization. It is usually encouraged under a
professional course curriculum. It is the first interaction students have with
the workplace.
Basically, an
internship help cushions the jolts and turbulence during this time by better
preparing students for the challenges and expectations of a professional
environment. This is a great proposition for both students who are decided as
well as undecided about the career path they wish to take in the future.
If one is not sure,
internships can be like sampling different job profiles, to find the perfect
match, early on. And if one is sure, it is an opportunity to learn and prepare
for a career with a solid pre-understanding of how the professional ecosystem
functions.
Even if securing
one might seem to be a challenging task, with the right help and guidance one
can find internships of all kinds.
Why should I do an internship?
There are
many takeaways from an internship. If you have time on
your hands, energy to spare, and curiosity about
what awaits you after college, an internship is exactly what you MUST do. Just
like in many other aspects of life, if one finds a good match, an internship
can be a very gratifying experience. Here are the top 5 reasons why you
should do an internship –
Reason No. 1: To gain a competitive advantage
What sets you apart
from others? An internship provides you with essential work experience that
employers seek in graduates. Relevant and interesting internship experiences
set you apart from your competitors. These experiences make a large chunk of
most CVs (more on this later). An internship not only demonstrates initiative
and commitment to improving your professional prospects but also helps you get
some on-the-job experience. This would increase your employability and
credibility as a professional.
Reason No. 2: To find a perfect job profile match
There are many
specialized departments within an industry. Without prior experience, most
students remain confused about which department is most compatible with their
skill set. A NIFT graduate, despite being sure about joining the retail
industry might be confused about which department to join. An internship can
help make an informed decision!
Reason No. 3: To develop skills (that are learned only
from experience!)
Work-life is more
than just applying theories you learn in class. It entails forming
relationships, managing a team, time scheduling, etc. Internships contribute to
personal growth by helping improve these skills which build tacit
knowledge that only comes from experience. Do you know the ‘gut feeling’
which helped you avert crisis your whole teenage life? Yup. That is what you
will develop during an internship- the inexplicable knowledge of averting
crisis and managing work better.
Reason No. 4: To build contacts
Building contacts
is also one of the greatest outcomes of internships. Internships are a
brilliant way of meeting professionals from the same career path you’re working
towards, while still in college. You would also meet co-interns who are
probably going through the same learning experiences as you. It is always
better to start early and meet the best in the business and learn as much as
possible. This also helps in optimizing what you learn even in college and
streamlining the information taught.
Reason No. 5: To inch towards an eventual job position
While paid
internships are not easy to come by, especially for undergraduates and school
students, if you land one, isn’t it a nice way of making an income? The pay is
perhaps the greatest incentive for internships and honestly, all interns deserve
pay and are legally entitled to it. But often, even unpaid internships often
beautifully make their way into full-time job positions. Internships are hence,
sometimes a relatively short unpaid gateway to a paid full-time job! Hurray!
There are lots of
reasons to consider doing an internship. It is like an investment in energy for
a nicer time at work in the future! A little effort goes a long way.
When should one start doing internships?
These are probably
the most anxiety-inducing questions of them all. Well. Worry not. Because IT IS
NEVER TOO LATE!
On average, most
students start applying for internships during their undergraduate years. This
is a good time to explore your field of interest while still learning at the
college. This helps one familiarize oneself with the professional, industrial
aspects of theory one is taught in class.
Types of Internship
Internships come in
a myriad of shapes, durations, and incentives! They can be neatly classified
based on stipends and duration.
- Paid
internships – Interns
are paid for their services. The payment is called stipend which is
different from ‘salary’ in that it is given to someone undergoing
training. Pay may be hourly, weekly, monthly, or after completion of
tasks.
- Unpaid
internships –
These internships do not pay in monetary terms. Most NGOs and Government
Non-profit organizations offer these types of internships. Such
organizations offer other perks such as Certificates, Letters of
Recommendation, etc.
- Partially
accommodating internships- Some internships offer to cover a few expenses
on behalf of the intern. These usually entail traveling. They offer
accommodation and travel expenses while interns are expected to bear the
other costs.
Based on the
duration of work or the number of work hours devoted, there are 3 types of
internships:
1. Full-time
(in-office) internships – These internships typically last for 4-12
weeks. An 8-9-hour attendance is expected every day. These are often offered
during summer and winter vacations keeping in mind, the convenience of college
students.
2. Part-time
internships – These internships require on average, 10-20 hours of
work per week. You can either choose to work from home or the office. This is
subject to the type of work.
3. Virtual/Online
internships – Online internships are quite self-explanatory. They
allow you to work from home, without having to physically go to the office.
Requirements to get an internship:
Generally, it is
assumed that interns would be applying to build experience so the pre-requisites
are usually not very heavy-handed. Moreover, the requirements may differ from
one place to another. Some broad requirements maybe –
- Course
relevance: The
graduate training and relevant courses play an important role when the job
profiles or job expectations are specific. For Eg. A social welfare NGO
would generally take you as an intern whether you are a Math or an
Economics student. However, if you are applying to an apparel company, you
would probably have to have courses in merchandising, designing, fashion
management, apparel production, or other relevant subjects.
- Curriculum
Vitae or CV: Besides
this, just as an overview of the student, in terms of their academic
background, hobbies, and experiences, applying interns are required to
produce their CVs or Curriculum Vitaes. This document
contains the following details: Name and contact details followed by
Headings such as Academic Qualifications, Relevant Courses/Certificates,
Experiences, Volunteer work, and Hobbies. A CV must be concise and crisp
without big sentences and over-explanations.
- Portfolio: Sometimes, a portfolio
containing the past works or projects of an individual is evaluated by
intern’s/job hirers to select candidates. This is more relevant in the
case of designers, architects, and artists.
- Cover
letters/ Essay showing motivation: While this is rarely asked for in India,
these may also be required. This is the intern’s opportunity to convince
the recruiter of the skills, strengths, and other positives they will
bring to the table. A good cover letter would introduce the individual
briefly, highlight their uniqueness and persuade the employers to believe
that hiring the intern would be the good fortune of the
company/organization.
And VOILA! You are
ready to apply!
How to look for internships?
- Take
part in Internship Fairs. This is probably one of the most
straightforward ways of looking for internships. Most colleges have
internship fairs where they invite several potential organizations looking
to recruit interns straight from college. It is important to keep an eye
out for these events. Contact the internship or placement cell of your
college and ask around. On the day, go prepared with your documents and
with a clear idea about the job profiles and your match with them and also
where to apply.
- Call
up Networks and Connections. This is an age-old and effective way of
finding work. Call your mother’s colleagues, your father’s friends, or
your seniors. People already experienced and working will have a lot of
opportunities to refer you to.
- Go
for Career Counselling with professionals and reach out to your
professors. Counsellors are usually very helpful and would be able to properly
guide you towards available options.
- Register
and create accounts on online internship platforms These platforms help to
optimize your search for internships based on location, job profile,
stipend, etc. This has come to be one of the most popular and efficient
ways of internship hunting!
- Use
Social Media platforms to follow organizations you want to work
with. Most
organizations nowadays post information about available internships on
their social media profiles. You can even try direct messaging them or
approaching project leaders.
Doing an internship
or not is a personal decision and subject to many factors such as time,
accessibility, relevance, etc. Only you would know if it is the best thing to
do right now. What is important is, making a sensible decision. Most decisions
after completing high school seem daunting at first, especially concerning our
careers. Well. Thank God for the internet and websites like Workpeeth! Your
internship worries can be put to rest.
And remember, whether
you do an internship or not, life is dynamic and every interaction contributes
to growth and experiences can be had even outside these mandated spaces.
HOWEVER, if it is
the first-time jitters that are holding you back, shut out that noise, go ahead,
and apply for the internship!
