An internship is a crucial part of one’s professional development. It is a platform that budding professionals use to test and hone their skillset. An internship is more than just learning about your chosen career, or getting those coveted credit points. It’s a journey of self-discovery that can have repercussions throughout your career. It’s a safe place where you test out your working shoes and see if the career that you thought was your professional calling is actually the best fit for you.
Summer is upon us, and right around the corner is June 29th, 2021, National Intern Day. 3iPeople has taken this time to instill the importance of an internship. According to the 2016 National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) survey, north of 56% of graduates reported taking part in at least one internship. An internship should not be treated lightly, as it provides so much more than possible monetary value.
Ten Reasons Why Internships Matter
- Practical Exposure & Hands-on Learning: An internship sets you with the perfect sandbox to put everything you have picked in your classes to the test. It is a training period that provides valuable insights into the professional environment. You learn about your chosen domain faster during an internship. According to the ISE Development Survey 2018, 87% of the people stated that graduates who have completed the training had better skills when compared to absolute freshers. A classroom is an ideal place to accumulate knowledge, but an internship is a place to cultivate your skillset.
- Providing Credibility to Your Resume: It is an uber-competitive world, and jobs are always on demand. You have to be able to set yourself apart. Being an absolute fresher puts you at the bottom of the pecking order. According to the research conducted by High Fliers in 2017, it is stated that graduates with no internship experience have little to no chance of securing a job.
- Professional Network Building: Being sociable and connecting with people is an important skill to possess regardless of your domain. Internships provide you a chance to interact with actual professionals who can aid you down the line. Internships offer you an opportunity to build lasting professional networks.
- Credits & Money: The education system has improved in recent times. They no longer strictly prescribe to the curriculum. Good schools induce the students to seek out internship opportunities by leveraging academic credits actively. Now, if that was not incentivizing enough, instead of seeking low-end part-time jobs during the summer, go for a paid internship. This way, you can earn money and hone skills that can benefit you.
- Refining Soft & Interpersonal Skills: According to the 2018 Linkedin Skills Report, 57% of the people felt that good soft skills matter more than technical skills. An internship provides you a soft introduction to the workplace, this creates the perfect environment for you to observe how interactions are had in the professional environment, why decorum matters, and the importance of clear communication. Most importantly, you realize the difference between interacting with people and interacting effectively with people.
- Being Mentored by Actual Professionals: Internship is a two-way journey of development. You will be working towards the benefit of the organization while veterans of the profession will be helping you improve by teaching, and advising you as needed. You have access to professional feedback, which will groom you into a desired professional in your domain.
- Aptitude Measure: Often, you would be peer pressured or pressured by your parents to choose a domain. In some cases, you may choose a domain simply because it appeals to you but does not have any real aptitude. An internship can show you where you exactly stand in your chosen domain. Working in the actual domain will provide you with an opportunity to put your conundrums to rest. In short, an internship provides you the clearest foresight of whether you’re an actual fit for the domain you have chosen.
- Transitioning to Full-time Employment: The job market is competitive. Fortunately, an internship is one of the best possible ways to land a full-time job. A company that chooses you for an internship actually invests their capital, resources and helps you cultivate your talents. Using your internship you have proven yourself as a prospective, valuable addition to the organization. As a result, more often than not, the organizations would prefer that you continue with them full-time, and you have placed yourself on the career fast track.
- Productivity: Time is essential. One of the most valuable things in life that are generally taken for granted by people who have lots of it. Summer breaks are a special time, and the whole ‘YOLO’ mantra would be more appealing than anything else. But, consider how much you can gain by investing yourself productively in your future aspirations through internships, instead of spending all your time and resources on momentary recreations.
- Discovering yourself: An internship is more than just a stepping stone to your ideal professional career. It is a journey where you learn about yourself. Pitting yourself against actual professionals would instill in you a deeper understanding of yourself and your abilities. You will have discovered your strengths and, more importantly, developed comprehension of places where you need to improve.
“My advice for young people is, study what you love and intern in what you want to do. And I think it’s okay to pivot as many times as you need to.” — Eva Chen, Director of Fashion, Instagram.
There is more to your internship than what’s on the surface. Companies encourage internships because they get to nurture talent, its cost-effective human resource, and in the long run, it improves their productivity and employee retentivity. As a student, you will receive many offers for an internship from a plethora of prospective companies. It would be best if you opted for your suitable needs. As mentioned throughout, internships have a lasting ripple effect on your career, so take your time, weigh all of your options, and choose wisely.
All the very best for your future endeavors!
