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.

1. 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. 

2. 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. 

3. 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 –

1. 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.

2. 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. 

3. 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.

4. 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!