Choosing the Right Internship

Your coursework internship is a crucial stepping stone for your future career. Here are some tips you can use to decide on the right company to complete your internship with.

In the last lap of your degree or diploma, you’re often required to complete a professional internship that counts towards the credits for your course. You’ll be spending 10 precious weeks to half a year with a company, so make the best use of your time there to gain the most out of your internship by finding the right placement for yourself!

Find a company that’ll help you grow Seek advice from your seniors

Apply to multiple companies

You’ll want an internship that’ll help you on your career path, so find one that allows you to pick up and apply the skills you want. Identify the key skill sets or areas of interest that you wish to grow in, then choose a company that’s strong in those areas. When you’ve landed the internship, make a conscious effort to improve your skills over the course of its duration. Keep track of your progress, so that by the end, you can see where you are in terms of mastering these skills. Seniors in your course are the best people you can ask regarding coursework internship experiences; they can not only recommend the types of companies suitable for your interests, but also offer insights on the firms they interned at. After all, what better way to know what your intern experience will be like at a certain company than to ask someone who did before you?

Rejections or getting no replies are common when it comes to internship applications. Keep in mind that there are many student candidates applying at the same time, and firms have limited internship openings.

The key is to apply to as many companies as possible and state your interest in doing an internship with them. Read up on relevant companies and organise your shortlist during the initial application process so that you can keep track of the applications you’ve sent out.

Your research will later come in handy when you need to attend an interview, so be sure to understand the company’s operations and prepare yourself for possible interview questions!

Talk to people in the industry Attend career fairs

There’s nothing like getting first-hand information from professionals already in the industry you’re interested in. It doesn’t matter if they’re from your personal network or someone you met while exploring potential career pathways; speaking to anyone with some experience, or experts in their fields will be useful for you. If you want to check out a wide range of employers, be sure to attend as many career fairs as possible. There, you’ll get to talk with as many employers as you wish regarding internship positions, even as you scout for opportunities.

Ask recruiters as many questions as you can about their company and internship opportunities, and don’t forget to always bring copies of your resume to give to them too! Update your resume constantly and send soft copies on top of the hard copies given to the recruiters you met.

It’s never too late to start planning where you wish to do your internship, be it locally or abroad, if you have an opening and are willing to travel in this climate. It could be your best chance to get your foot into a dream company or an area of work you’re passionate about – so give it some thought, and then act on it!