Why You Should Do an Internship

“Looking for a fresh graduate with one to two years’ work experience” – does this line from a job posting look familiar? This is where having an internship would help you!

During the hiring process, employers often look for evidence that a candidate is able to deliver, and work experience is typically what they refer to as the best evidence of your skills and suitability for the job role.

With that in mind, undertaking internships and work placements are an ideal way for full-time students to gain relevant work experience, so start early and plan ahead to gain the right range of skills to help you meet your career goals!

There are also plenty of other benefits to doing an internship. Here are some of them to help you maximise your time at yours.

To gain relevant skills To better understand yourself

Work experience will help you develop the skills necessary for the workplace, including crucial and transferable skills that can’t be learned from books, but picked up through real-life exposure and experience. For instance, you can develop...

Communication skills

• From interacting with co-workers and clients.

Organisational and time management skills

• By managing tasks to meet deadlines.

Teamwork skills

• From experience working with team members.

Hence, it’s important that you view all experiences within the workplace as a means of practice for your future job. You should also consider the type of skills and experiences you wish to gain and seek out related opportunities during your internship. Setting your objectives before you start your internship will help you make the most of your time there. While internships are a great way to gain relevant knowledge, experience and skills, they also allow you to dip your feet in the pool and discover whether the field is truly something you can see yourself working in. After all, the experience can give you an insider’s point-of-view on top of an understanding of the different roles and tasks within the industry.

Moreover, an internship will give you a more realistic idea on how the knowledge and technical skills learnt in school can be applied in a work environment. It’s also a good way for you to gauge your abilities and working style, as well as what you can improve on.

To get your foot in the door

An internship gives you the chance to get your foot in the door of the company and industry you want to work in. If you perform well, you may even be asked to stay on or return as a full-time hire after graduation!

It’s not uncommon for employers to convert interns to permanent staff members as it saves them the hassle of familiarising new hires with the work environment and culture of the organisation, as well as the trouble of figuring out whether they’re a good fit for the company.

However, a conversion from an internship to a full-time position isn’t guaranteed. You’ll have to stand out from your fellow interns and go beyond your regular duties to impress your employers.

To broaden your network

There’s no better time to start developing your professional network than during your internship. As an intern, you’ll have the chance to build relationships with people in the company and industry, which can not only help you now, but can benefit you in the long run as well.

For instance, you may be invited to join company or industry events. So make the effort to socialise and put the best version of yourself forward! The people you meet and interact with during such events can become career mentors or even references when you start looking for a graduate job in the future.