Internships…Info, Advice, Tips
When you think of an internship, for the most part, you think of working at a job for no wage. While that sounds horrible you are gaining something from the job. You are gaining experience! Experience that you will need in the future for a job that pays. Experience that will set you apart from other potential employees. You can also gain references. If you work as an intern for a company and they see how hard you work they can put in a good word for you in the future. Employers like someone that is a hard worker and if you work just as hard at a job that doesn’t pay you for your work then that looks really good for you.
An internship is any period of time during which a beginner acquires experience in an occupation, profession, or pursuit. You always hear of people not getting jobs because of lack of experience, but how are you supposed to gain experience when you can’t even get your foot in the door. In that situation a person should really consider finding an internship. While they may have had all A’s in school and won homecoming king/queen, an employer wants someone that knows what is going on. They want someone that is familiar with the profession/business. They want someone with, here comes the dredded word again, experience.
For some in college internships are required as part of their curiculum for their degree. I know for me as a Public Relations major at Georgia Southern University it is a required. It counts towards are credits. I really like the idea of making it a mandatory thing, while yes it may be hard to find places willing to hire people, even interns, in this economic time. I really think that it can help students get their foot in the door, gain some out-of-the-classroom knowledge of their chosen field, and make sure they are on the right track for their future.
Of course you won’t want to forget the other tips that I have mentioned in previous blogs. You need to remember to preview your resume with a cover letter. Keep in mind that your skills are not the only thing that employee notices, your non-verbal language and body language can say a lot about you too. Looking the part is a good thing to remember to. You need to wear the appropriate clothing to an interview.
I recently talked to two friends of mine that have been through an internship and asked them their best tip/advice that they could give someone on internships.
Logan Moses- senior PR major at UGA; interned at Dolce and Gabbana in New York. Her tip was: “Okay so I think the best advice I could give someone on getting an internship would be-NETWORK. Everywhere you go if you meet someone in the field your interested in..have a conversation with them, get their contact info, follow up with them, etc. Even if they can’t give you an internship they may know someone that can. Networking is definitely one of the most important things when it comes to getting an internship because it is not just about what is on your resume but also about who you know.”
Holly West- PR major Georgia Southern Alum; interned at The Butin Group in St. Simons Island. Her tip was: “You really need to research possible internship sites. Don’t just pick one based on convenience. You want to get the most out of your internship that you possibly can, so make sure you’re choosing a company to work for that you think will benefit you most.”
