Important Factors To Evaluate Internship
Posted on: February 21 2019, By : NEHA KENI
Internships are a great way to prepare students for their future career. Internships are a proven way to gain relevant knowledge, skills, and experience while establishing important connections in the field. It gives them a deeper understanding of the path they want to take, and puts them in a situation in which they can learn what it feels like to work in their chosen profession. Internships are an important experience for today’s college students and recent graduates. But not every opportunity is equal. Many Human Resource Management conducts internship programs out there do a wonderful job preparing students for their first entry-level job while others leave something to be desired.
Just because the world of internships is becoming more competitive does not mean you should take the first opportunity you’re handed. Instead, use the following factors to evaluate an internship opportunity before accepting an offer:
• Relevance to your career path: The most important factor in choosing an internship is how it will affect you when the time comes to start applying for jobs. You want to be in an internship that will help you to gain valuable experience that you can use on your first job interview. Internships provide you with the building blocks you need for your future. Many internship opportunities help set the foundation for your career. It is important that you choose you internships based on your interests and career prospects. Keep in mind, employers often use internships as a recruitment tool to test out future employees and in many cases, companies hire interns after graduation.
• Location: Also, more and more internships are virtual these days, so take that into the location consideration. While an important factor, this is something that you can easily deal with, especially when an opportunity is too good to pass up. However, you also need to consider your financial situation. You want to be in an internship in which the location won’t be much of a burden to you.
• Fair hours: Internship programs can and should be flexible. Most interns are still attending college and have coursework or volunteer commitments in addition to the internship. If an employer doesn’t offer any type of flexible hours or telecommuting options to accommodate your schedule, it might not be the best choice for an already busy college student. Instead you could consider interning during the summer, when class and school commitments are much lighter. Companies in order to avoid complexities look out to top job placement agencies for services with updated skills as an organization’s workforce.
• Networking opportunities. Your internship should expose you to different people at the company, allowing you to get to know them personally and hopefully build a relationship with each person. Even if you don’t end up working in an entry-level position at the organization after the internship, these people can be your ticket to other opportunities in the field.
• Salary/compensation: While your internship doesn’t have to provide a salary or compensation, it’s certainly nice if it does. Some internship programs, instead of providing money, give interns valuable experiences or professional development opportunities such as paying for you to attend industry conferences or membership dues for an association, books, company products, etc. This should be something listed in the position description, but if it’s not, don’t be shy about asking during the interview process.
• Letter of recommendation. If you do a great job, you should walk away from an internship experience with references or recommendations from your superiors.
• Real world experience: Joining a company as an intern gives you the opportunity to work hands on in a professional environment. Internships help by teaching you more about the career path you are pursuing. Think of it internships are a way to test drive possible jobs and explore different career options. You can also take help of Education Consultant to guide you in your career.
• Mentorship: Through the course of your internship, you want to have someone whom you know you can go to. This person will be responsible for helping you and giving you the best possible experience in your internship. You want someone who can give you invaluable knowledge and who will guide you through the whole experience. The supervisor for an internship should have enough available time to answer your questions and train you properly. They can also ensure smooth deployment and help organize HR Practical training to get everyone up to speed on how to best utilize the latest trends and policies in organization.
• Working Environment: Most internship programs last an entire semester, and accepting an internship at an organization you’re uncomfortable at isn’t the right move for you or the company. Just like with a job, the environment in your internship largely affects how your experience will be. Therefore, you want to be in a place where your personality fits with the company.
• Opportunity to transition into a full-time position: How many interns receive offers at the end of their internship. This is incredibly important to find out, particularly if you’re a senior or have already graduated. Of course, an offer will ultimately depend on how you perform, but knowing that there’s a chance makes it worth working toward. With continuity of internship you can opt for short term hr courses available to shine in your career.
• New skills: Perhaps the biggest single reason people think to take internships are the new skills they might gain. Especially with unpaid internships, the assumption is that you’ll earn valuable experience and get new skills. You can also gain new skill by enrolling in HR Certification Training.
Internships are great tools to improve your chances as a job applicant and help make you a better potential employee. So make the investment in your career and look into becoming an intern. Your internship is an essential achievement on the way to your career. Gauge your alternatives carefully, as this will place you in an amazing position to land that first position and job.
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