Why Internships Can Be Game-Changing For Students And How You Can Find The Right Ones

Internships can be golden eggs for students to experience exponential growth: both in your personal life and your professional life.

Here are some of the ways in which internships can change the lives of students for the better.

• Internships are an excellent way for students to gain valuable work experience and learn what it’s like to be working in a professional environment. This helps students gain knowledge about how organizations function and get a good grasp of professional etiquettes.



• Interning allows students to explore different career paths, experiment and find the right one for them. This helps students in making more informed life choices with regard to their education and career later on.



• Internships are often flexible and versatile so you get to learn a little bit of everything and become a jack of all trades.This makes you a more valuable candidate for any organisation that you wish to be a part of in the future.



• It is also the perfect opportunity to improve industry skills, soft-skills like communication, and build your professional network. Real world skills are valuable in the practical world and make all the difference in whether you get an opportunity or lose it.



• If an internship is completed successfully, it also gives you a chance to gain a Letter of Recommendation (LoR) from your employer, which is highly valuable while applying for jobs or even universities to continue your higher studies.

Although internships provide a plethora of advantages, it can be exhausting and confusing to find good opportunities, especially with little or no experience. It can prove even more challenging to get selected for these internships.

Hence, it is crucial to make a robust application and stand out from the competition. But the question is how?

Here are some steps that might quicken your search!

Build A Resume That Stands Out

Always keep your resume or CV ready when applying for internships, it is the first thing any employer notices about you. Like it or not, you are judged by that document! A first impression can be the last impression if you don’t play your cards right.

If you don’t have a resume already, you can easily make one using websites and resources online. Softwares like Google Docs, Canva, and Microsoft Word have plenty of free templates.

Your resume should include your relevant experience (if any), your skills, and any achievements, especially if they are relevant to the field you are applying to.

Make sure that you present an uncluttered resume and format the contents in a presentable, easy-to-read manner.

The Magic Of Networking

This might be one of the most important and influential ways to find internships.

Network with your friends, teachers, lecturers, and anyone who is capable of teaching you something. Always show a genuine interest in them and be open-minded to learn.

You will frequently come across different opportunities once you start connecting with different people, whether socially or virtually.

Join different clubs and communities that interest you in school or on online platforms like Discord to find like-minded people who might direct you towards more learning or working opportunities.

Your network truly is your net worth. Start building yours today.

Use Social Media The Right Way

Social media doesn’t have to be all distraction and toxic. It can be a great tool for a student if you know how to use it effectively.

There are specialized websites to search for jobs and internships, so make the best use of them.

Platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, Internshala, and Glassdoor are great platforms to begin with. Being active in such places opens the doors to professional opportunities, connecting with potential employers, getting to know colleagues, or simply finding people working in the field that you want to get into.

Utilize the modern day gift of the Internet to connect with the right people, engage with their content, and reach out to potential employers directly to have a conversation with them.

Never before in history has this been possible. Leverage it to maximize your potential as a student.

Use Resources Effectively

Colleges and schools these days provide their students with career accelerator programs or some variation of these to help students in their growth journey. Many educational institutions also have special cells to assist in connecting with employers, which many students are unaware of.

Reach out to your professors or teachers to find out more, and do not hesitate to ask them if they can connect you with any organization looking for interns.

The professionals teaching you are bound to have numerous industry connections and would be happy to connect you with someone in the field you are hoping to get to know and work for.

Ace the Interview

After all this lengthy work, the final step to bagging a great internship is to impress the people interviewing you.

Try to mention things written in your resume only when asked, don’t go telling stories as this can come off as unprofessional.

Speak about the job description and describe how you are the perfect fit for it.

Keep in mind that confidence is the key, but overconfidence can ruin your chances of getting hired. Present yourself as someone responsible, punctual, reliable, but above all: open to learn.

Takeaway

So there you have it, everything that you need to secure your dream internship.

Remember, reading tips is good but implementing them is better. So go out there and execute now, good luck!