There will come a day that you will need an internship to kick-start your career. Whether you’re still a student or a graduate, an internship is a must. This doesn’t only help you with the initial “experience” everyone looks for, but with a lot to learn from the industry you’re involved in.
I have been a student ambassador for Oliv for the past 2 years. This helped me a lot when it came to learning the basics of Marketing. Although this was very beneficial, I knew there was much more for me to learn. When I was in my last semester in university, I decided to apply to one of the internships listed by Oliv. The internship went on for 5 months and I learned way more than expected.
Out of my own experience, I came to learn a few pointers as to what to expect during an internship:
You will be given a lot of tasks
Don’t take this to be a bad thing. The more tasks you’re given, the more you will learn. Work with passion and motivation.
There’s only so much that you can learn from university, and that is just information. What you need is real-life experience. This is what will take you up your career ladder.
What you learn at university is just a gateway to the professional world
Everything you learn at university can be used only to have an initial glimpse of where your career is taking you. It is a very vital phase that you have to go through to have an understanding of the concepts you’ll be working with. People often mistake university to be everything you need to know for your professional life. Don’t fall into that mistake and be ready to learn more in less time at your first job.
You most probably will get a low stipend, some of you won’t get paid
Being a student, you need an internship more than a company needs you. Having said that, the ball is rarely on your side and you have to accept the terms even if you don’t like them. Students don’t usually do internships for the pay, but rather for the valuable experience they can gain from it. Take this as a free ticket for a jump into your career and forget about the money; since internships are usually short term basis.
If you do a good job, there’s a good chance they’ll keep you
You can take this opportunity to prove yourself and your capabilities, and this might eventually lead to a full time job.
It is always good to make a strong impression on your skills and show the company that you are a valuable asset.
This will be a good opportunity to build connections in the professional world
Putting aside your efforts in the job you’re given, your network is always your most valuable asset. Meeting people and building relationships is as important as doing a good job. Building a network does not mean asking for favors the next day. It is always good to build meaningful relationships for the future. Even then, when you need something, be sure you’re giving something in return.
An internship has become a must for every young mind looking to kick start their career. Start with motivation and a goal, and be sure you achieve everything on your agenda. After all, you can’t take the career ladder from the middle; you have to start from the bottom and work your way up.