An internship is a temporary period of work experience offered by companies and typically performed by students, or as in our blog here can be structured as a 'Returnships' for more experienced people who have had career breaks. They can both be paid and unpaid internships, unpaid can offer school credits and experience as a benefit.
Internships aren’t just a great way for you to develop skills and knowledge within a specific industry, they are also a way for companies to pick new employees. If you really show your strengths within your internship, there’s a chance it could lead to more opportunities with the company. They are a great tool to provide you with hands-on experience in your desired career, together with a good understanding of how a business in an industry sector operates. On top of all that, you may just get a position at the end of it. This guide goes into how to best achieve that goal.
Nine Benefits of Internships
It gives you job experience
It can help build confidence
It can guide your career goals
It can give you the experience of a variety of duties, departments and positions
It can help build your resume
It can assist in creating a professional network
It can be a facility for strong mentorship
It can be a good source of references and recommendations
It can help a transition to a permanent job
Consider the Cost
If you pick an unpaid internship there is inherent value for you in terms of the above list, but it does not come without a cost. The cost of accommodation and commuting for an unpaid internship can actually rack up. In fact, it is estimated that an internship can cost you over £1000 a month depending on where you live. So work out your budget and make sure you get the best value from your internship by giving it everything you have.
Having the End Game in Mind
You may be just looking at an internship for the experience it will give you, with the ability to gain some glowing references, or there may be a potential of a full-time position at the end of it. Either way, performing well and making a good impression has the potential of giving you what you are looking for. The following tips can help to boost your internship performance, maybe turning your internship into your first career step!
Start With Research
Before you start your internship, make sure you have researched the company you are about to work for. What are its company culture, mission and values? These details will help you understand how you can best work and interact within their environment. Have a look on Glassdoor and read about the company from anemployee's perspective. This knowledge gives you a head start in settling in quickly and can make you feel more at home with its work styles and practices. It also shows a positive attitude when people realise that you have done your homework on the company you are working for.
Review the rules
As soon as you start remember to learn about the rules, procedures and other codes of conduct the company expects you to follow. This is usually given to you in a written format, take the time to read through it carefully. Understanding these gives you less chance of making any mistakes. If you have questions about something ask your supervisor before doing anything you feel could possibly be problematic. Following the rules shows you respect the workplace and this can give your supervisors peace of mind.
Take Initiative - Show Enthusiasm
In order to really stand out as an intern and increase your chances of being considered for a full-time position at the end of your contract, you need to take the initiative, be enthusiastic and stay busy. Whatever the size of your first tasks, remember to approach them with enthusiasm, get them in on time and to a high standard. If they see that you can be responsible and manage smaller tasks, they will be more willing to start you on more advanced tasks. When meeting with your supervisor, let them know you are interested in learning new skills that can help you complete your job well. When you have finished your responsibilities, illustrate your dedication to the company by asking for more work. If you know people are working on bigger projects that tweak your interest, take the initiative and offer your help. But, take it slowly and make sure you get all of your responsibilities done first to a high standard! Remember to showcase your work ethic, be punctual, provide consistent quality work and organise your tasks well.
Develop Relations with Your Supervisors
As the intern, you will probably have a direct manager or supervisor who will be training you. Your supervisor can potentially help you get a job in the future, with the company you are working for or elsewhere, so you should ensure you build good solid relationships with them. Being friendly and natural and allowing your personality to come across will make your working environment more personal. Try to establish a more personal connection rather than strictly discussing work. They will appreciate your interest in them, and it will also help them gain a fuller understanding of you and what you have to offer. You should also show your appreciation whenever you can, and make sure you thank your supervisors for their time and advice to show you are grateful for their input.
Build Rapport with Your Colleagues
As tempting as it is, you should avoid only being friends with other interns within the company. Make sure you make the effort to get to know multiple people who work there, especially those who are older and have more experience. When it comes down to making a decision about offering you a full-time position, people are likely to fight your corner if they know and speak to you regularly. Getting to know more people within the company is also a great way to network with people for future opportunities. Employers also want to see strong teamwork abilities, so make sure you build professional and personal relationships with your colleagues. If you establish a good rapport and show a strong work ethic, your team will notice you are a great person to work with. You will also benefit from building relationships with members of other departments. Employers will always be impressed if you can build a reputation across different departments. If your name is on many people's lips, that can only be a positive thing!
Problem Solving
Problem-solving is a very desirable skill for employers, so try and showcase your ability to do this. Successfully resolving an issue for the company can be a strong indicator that you will be a great asset. Demonstrate your uniqueness, think outside the box and try and show you have a great critical thinking mentality for problem-solving. By having a positive impact on a business, you become an intern that is remembered and this can lead to a full-time position.
Seek feedback
Throughout your internship try to keep your job performance on track by asking for feedback from your supervisor or manager. Cross-reference this by asking other employees too. With all this feedback you can discover which areas you need improvement in. You can also learn where you are excelling, giving you the confidence to learn more. Employers really like to see when you can receive and implement their feedback, as it shows a sense of maturity and a willingness to push forward with self-development.
Show Your Interest In Them
Ensure you show the company you are interested in staying for longer than just your internship period and explain why you would like to do this. If you work with them well and you look interested in working for the company then you stand more of a chance than not saying anything at all. You can maybe look at asking the hiring manager or the HR department about the probability of gaining full-time employment at the end of your internship, or get to hear about opportunities that arise after the internship has finished. Letting people know that you would like to work there will only be a positive.
Conclusion
Although internships can be expensive they are beneficial in the long run. Even if you do not secure a full-time job, you will have met a variety of people within the industry you want to work within and this is essential for building knowledge within the sector. If you do not receive a full-time job offer or you are returning to full-time education, stay in contact with your supervisor and colleagues. You can connect with them on social media to keep in touch as you never know when these relationships will help you with your future career!
More Resources
If you want to invest in yourself to get the best results in the job market, make sure you look at our other blog posts and articles to help you. Start with these two and you will not go wrong! How to Find a Job and our Ultimate Guide to Getting Your Dream Job! Then we have some great shorter blogs on interview techniques and CV writing below. Have a look at all of these and you will be set for any interview! Remember, 'Luck favours the prepared! We wish you all the luck and success with your future!
The Top 10 Interview Questions You Should ALWAYS Prepare For!
Research You Should Consider Before An Interview
Ultimate Guide to Preparing your CV
How To Completely Nail Your Zoom, Skype or any other Video Conferencing Interview!
What questions should you never ask in an interview?
How to Answer the Question: What are your Strengths?
How to Answer the Question: What motivates you at work?
Finding a New Job? - It's Time To Clean Up Your Social Media Presence
Also, remember if you are attending interviews you may get rejected, do not take this personally! A lot of things in life are a numbers game, meaning the more you get rejected the closer you will come to getting the job. It is simple maths, the more you do the better the chance of success. It is a healthy part of the process so read the article below and don't let rejection slow you down!
10 Top Tips for Coping With Those Soul-Destroying Job Rejections!