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How to Get an Internship
By Chris Houtzer - InternshipPrograms.com
 An internship is a work-related learning experience for individuals
who wish to develop practical, hands on experience in a certain
occupational field. Most internships are temporary assignments,
which may last for only a few weeks or as long as several years.
However, the majority of internships last approximately three months.
For the intern, the internship is an excellent
way to "test
out" a possible career option to determine if it's the best
career option to pursue, as well as to gain practical work experience
in a field that you intend to pursue.
Requirements for an internship depend solely
on the company offering the internship, and can vary, sometimes
considerably, for the same type of position from company to company.
Usually, the qualifications depend upon the position and needs
of the company offering the internship. Note, for the purpose
of clarification, references to the word "company" in
this article are also meant to include organizations and non-profit
institutions.
Most internships are available to college students and recent
college graduates. However, more and more internships are becoming
available to high school students, as well as adult career changers.
Some internships offer paid compensation, offers just college
credits, and still others offer both. Some internships offer no
compensation or college credits at all - just the opportunity to
gain work experience.
Completing an internship is often an excellent way of gaining
actual employment in the same occupational field, as many companies
hire their interns as full time employees after the internship
has been completed successfully.
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A JOB AND AN INTERNSHIP
When someone applies for a job, the employer considers what that
person can bring to the company. For most paid jobs, the emphasis
is on the production of goods and services in exchange for a
paycheck. Internships on the other hand focus more on learning,
rather than earning. As an intern, you will usually have less
responsibility and authority than a normal employee. The focus
of your internship will be on learning about the work and the
company, with contributing to the company's "bottomline" as
a less important objective.
TIME AND MONEY
Most internships are based around the academic calendar, having
deadlines or internship dates that correspond to academic semesters
or quarters. This timeline creates a cyclical period for internships
with most internships being completed in the summer and most
applicants applying in the winter and spring months.
Internships also vary in the amount of compensation that they provide.
The majority of internship opportunities are unpaid, although many
employers offer other perks like free housing, meals and even entertainment
gatherings. With some internships you can earn a salary and/or
college credits. All internships, however, provide valuable work
experience and networking opportunities that can give you a competitive
edge when you are ready to enter the job market.
ADVANTAGES OF AN INTERNSHIP FOR JOB SEEKERS
If you're a college student thinking about career options, or a
college student about to graduate from college, or a professional
worker looking for a career change, one of the best ways to gain
practical, real world experience in a new career field is to
intern. As an intern, you will gain valuable on-the-job experience,
gain a competitive edge on your peers who have less experience,
and be able to take advantage of valuable networking opportunities.
THE TRUE NATURE OF AN INTERNSHIP
Yes, interning is a great way to gain experience in a particular
occupational field. However, when you begin working as an intern,
you quickly learn that interns do not do the same work as regular
employees. As an intern, you are there to learn and to experience
some of the same activities that regular employees encounter.
However, it is not likely that you will be allowed, or asked,
to do the same work as that which is required of full time employees.
Nor will you have the same authority or status within the company
as a regular employee. As a result, you should not be asked to
tackle work that is beyond your capabilities. Most likely, you
will be given various projects to complete that will enable you
to sample the work environment and gain some work experience,
while learning about the company and industry.
THE COMPETITIVE EDGE
Obviously, work experience is the most beneficial advantage that
can be acquired by completing an internship. For students and
young workers, having this work experience on your resume can
often give you a means by which you can "get your foot in
the door." This can result in more job offers as compared
to individuals who lack such work experience. For adult career
changers, an internship is often a method by which you can bridge
your past career history and experiences to your new career objective,
often without having to complete lengthy additional schooling.
NETWORKING OPPORTUNITIES
As an intern, you will have the opportunity to meet many people
within the company and, in some cases, other interns. It is suggested
that you try to meet as many employees as possible to inquire
about career paths that typically exists within the company.
In fact, it is further suggested that you request a meeting with
an executive, the president, or even the CEO to talk about possible
career options after your internship. This will help to demonstrate
to the company that you are serious about your internship and
future career aspirations. The contacts you make at your internship
can lead you to job openings after your internship, either at
the same location, or at other locations known to your contacts.
ADVANTAGES TO EMPLOYERS
Many companies today realize the value inherent in hiring interns
- it's simply good business. Hiring an intern is usually less
expensive than hiring a full-time employee. Also, employers can
test the job market and perspective employees by hiring interns.
Hiring interns can also fill the gaps left by regular employees
who are on sick or maternity leave, vacation, or for some other
reason are temporarily unable to carry out their work assignments.
Besides bringing in new personnel at a bargain price, hiring interns
can infuse new thinking and different methods of work behavior
into an organization, as most interns are enthusiastic about their
internship, are hard working, are willing to try new ways of doing
things, and are eager to demonstrate their capabilities and worth.
HOW CAN YOU FIND INTERNSHIPS?
There are several resources you can use to find an internship that's
right for you. Here are some of the more common methods:
School and College Guidance Counselors
Contact your local high school or college guidance office and ask
if they have a list of available internships. Remember, you don't
have to be a student at the school or college to obtain such
information - just give them a call.
Books
Check your local public library or commercial bookstores. You should
be able to find several books that list internship opportunities,
usually nationwide. Caution: due to the time that it requires
to write and publish books, some of the information may be outdated.
However, such books can give you an idea as to which companies
and organizations may have, or typically offer, internship opportunities.
Direct contact with companies
Often, the best route is to directly contact companies where you
would like to intern and inquire as to whether an internship
opportunity is available. Simply call the Personnel or Human
Resource Department, the company president, or ask to speak to
the person responsible for the department in which you would
like to intern. It's even possible for you to create your own
internship if you're capable of convincing the company about
how they will benefit from hiring you as an intern. After all,
it's pretty hard to refuse someone who wants to work for you
and who's willing to do it for free!
Use your network
Make a list of every student and/or adult that you know and contact
each person to inquire as to whether they know of any internship
opportunities. Many internships are obtained through the use
of one's personal network.
Internet websites
Finally, the world's largest source of information
- the Internet - is quickly becoming one of the best ways of
obtaining information on internships. InternshipPrograms.com
maintains a database of thousands of internship opportunities
available nationwide. Please visit our website to search for
an internship. Also, visit the Internship & Volunteer Opportunities
department at this website for listings.
HOW TO PREPARE FOR AN INTERNSHIP
After obtaining an internship, or just before you begin, there
are a number of things that you can do that will help you achieve
the most benefit from your internship opportunity. These include
the following:
1. If available, visit the company's Internet website. This is
an excellent means of learning about the company. Most companies
today have subsidiaries or major partnerships with other companies.
Make sure you know and understand these relationships.
2. Obtain printed company profiles. Check your local library or
commercial bookstores for company directories. These books typically
contain detailed information about hundreds, or thousands, of companies
throughout the United States.
3. Gather news reports, press releases, and financial information
published by the company. You can simply contact the company to
obtain this information. Also, get to know the stock history if
the company is a publicly traded company.
4. Learn about the local area. If you are interning in a city
that you have never been to, research as much as you can about
it, such as public transportation, restaurants, entertainment and
nightlife. Check your local bookstores for a travel guide on the
city, or call the Chamber of Commerce in the city of your choice
for information.
5. Have your first day planned out. Know exactly what time you
have to get up, dress appropriately, and know before hand how best
to get to your internship site. Know who you're supposed to report
to, where, and when - be on time! Relax and be confident - remember
you are there to learn and have fun. Bring a notepad to take notes
as you are introduced to people and your work assignments. Don't
be afraid to ask questions - lots of them!
At least for the first few days, you objectives should be to get
answers to the following:
* What work assignments will I be responsible for?
* How should I carry out my work assignments?
* Who should I report to?
* How will I know if I'm not doing my work properly?
* What problems can I expect to encounter and how should I handle
them?
* Who in the company should I work closely with and for what reasons?
* Who can I call upon when I need help.
* What reports, if any, should I prepare and for whom?
* What hours and days am I expected to work?
* What forms, if any, should I complete for the company?
HOW TO TURN AN INTERNSHIP INTO A JOB OFFER
1. Most importantly, do your job as well as you can. Ask for feedback
from your supervisor and be willing to "do it their way" not
your own. Be resourceful, ask experienced workers how they would
recommend you carry out your work assignments - learn from their
years of experience. Work with your immediate supervisor early
on to set realistic goals for your internship. Review these goals
periodically and, towards the end of your internship, ask for
a written review of how well you've accomplished these goals.
At your review, ask how you could have done a better job.
2. Be active and involved in your internship - don't just take
up space. Get involved with non-work related activities, such as
athletic events and company outings. Interact with as many co-workers
as you can, but don't monopolize their time. Remember, they've
got work to do too! This will help you stand out from other interns
and increase your networking contacts.
3. Inquire about permanent job openings. If your supervisor has
indicated that you've done a good job at achieving your internship
goals, then ask about a full timeposition.
4. Take the time to say goodbye and "thank you" on
your last day to everyone you've encountered in your internship
- don't just sneak out the back door when yourinternship is done.
5. After completing your internship, send your
immediate supervisor and the president of the company a well
written "thank you" letter.
Thank them for the internship opportunity, and point out what you
have accomplished and learned. Indicate in your letter that you
would like to work for the company, and how you can be of value.
6. Be patient and persistent! Follow your "thank you" letter
with a phone call to your supervisor to inquire about employment.
Do this on a monthly basis.
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