6 Key Things To Consider Before Taking Up An Internship

You are nearing the completion of another semester of your degree course and are soon going to move one more step closer to entering the real ‘job’ world. Summer break is the best time to get a taste of this real world. It offers you plenty of time to discover your interests as well as yourself. Summer internships are a great opportunity for you to earn experiences and collect valuable learnings that will help you for a lifetime. 

Various companies and organizations today have opened their doors to young individuals who are not just willing to assist the company in its functioning but are also eager to gain profitable and invaluable knowledge. If you too want to gain experience and construct a smooth career path that leads to success, it is crucial to start applying for summer internships. Since you will soon be going on a summer break, it’s the best time to get started. 

Scroll down to know some easy ways to hunt for an apt summer internship. 

List Your Interest

Unless you don’t have a strong passion for one particular thing and have decided that it is just that, that you are going to chase, you must prepare a list of your interests. Write down at least 5 areas of interest in which you can see yourself constructing a career. This will keep you from getting confused between a flood of options. Only pick those few in which your genuine interest lies. 

Begin Your Research

After you have decided on a few options, you must start researching them. Understand the roles that these options will demand you to play if you circle on them. Find out what each one is exactly about and what all it involves. You can also list down a few companies in which you would like to apply. Further to this, research about these companies as well and understand the organization well. 

Draft A Strong And Well-structured Resume

A well-drafted resume sets the tone of a good impression. The structure of the resume itself speaks a lot about you. Make sure you keep the resume as precise and concise as possible. It must speak a lot about you in as little text as possible. Make sure you add the accurate educational qualifications and grades in the resume. Add work experience (if any) or projects and activities you participated in. A strong resume definitely invites action from the recruiter. So make sure you draft and structure it well. 

Start Applying A Month Before Summer Break

Companies usually take time to respond to application emails. Further, if you have shortlisted companies in which you wish to work, you must begin sending out emails with your resumes attached a month before you retire for a summer break. Since many firms demand a cover letter, prepare one and attach it with your resume in the email. The easiest way to attain contact details of a company is from their official website, but you can also apply through a mid source. Platforms like LinkedIn and Internshala help students apply to companies who are in search of interns. These platforms curate a list of companies that match with the interest and requirements of the students, If you don’t have an account on any of these platforms, you must get it done now. 

Connect With People

Taking assistance from people in your social circle also benefits in landing an internship. Converse and approach friends and family who will help you connect with officials of a company that appoints interns. Sometimes this helps too. If your friend is interning with some firm, ask him to connect you with some official of the firm. 

Choice between Money or Certificate

This one is a tough choice to make. Summer internships are all about gaining experience however everyone wants their efforts and work to be recognized in some form or the other. You need to weigh the pros and cons of the internships that come your way. If you are a fresher with no experience at all, chances are that you won’t get paid for the internship. However, you will definitely be given an internship certificate that goes a long way in benefitting your career trajectory. Nevertheless, this doesn’t mean that all internships are unpaid. Some do offer a stipend based on the amount and level of work you are expected to do. If not, you can always demand a minimal amount along with a certificate if you have past work experiences, if you believe your service will greatly benefit a firm or if the work expected from you is more than just basic.

If you are not interested in doing summer internships during summers, you can try out alternatives like freelancing with a firm or shadowing a professional and understanding a field of work through his work. You can also join an initiative launched by an NGO for benefitting society. You can also enroll yourself in classes that will hone your extra qualities and compliment your existing ones. 

Whatever you do, make sure you don’t let this summer break run out of your hands. Utilize it wisely to expand your knowledge and experience. This is ultimately going to aid you in achieving your long term career goals.