What Makes a Successful Internship?
What is an internship?
 |
An internship is an occupational experience that provides the opportunity for students and graduates to gain essential work experience and expertise. As a measure of employability an internship provide qualitative work experience for students or entry level candidates in an occupation or profession. As a concept overall, an internship is an investment of time, energy and resources that can be considered as a fundamental stepping stone in establishing a fruitful and productive career.
Although each year many people go through internship placements and work experience programs spanning all sectors of business and industry, few interns appreciate the benefits associated with placement program and even less gain long lasting skills.
In a day and age of overwhelming competition for beneficial internship placements, the desire the stand out from the crowd and to truly succeed has never been so paramount. However, in order for an intern to make the most out of an internship placement program there are five essential factors that need to be in place.
Essential Ingredients for a Successful Internship
 |
3. Convenient goals and objectives
4. Consistent supervision and meetings
Proactive intern: With a record number of young people going into higher education and work experience programs the demand and competition for placements is more fierce than ever before. More students than ever are competing to gain the right internship program for them.
Therefore, in order to stand out amongst the ever escalating labour pool, there needs to be a high of autonomy and enthusiasm from the prospective intern. A proactive and engaging intern is much more likely going to have a far more rewarding placement than an idle intern. Whether it is by establishing a rewarding covering letter, CV or an outshining performance during the process or the internship placement itself the proactive and engaging intern stands to learn much more.
Clear Mentor / Supervisor: As an internship placement is a learning experience, one of the best ways for an intern to learn and acquire the necessary skills to help them during their course is to have a strong leader. To supervise the intern each step of the way, to train and review their progress throughout the placement program.
Convenient goals and objectives: Next to having a strong leader, supervisor and mentor, essential for the development of the intern is to have a clear set of goals and objectives. This will allow the intern to track and measure their progress and review their performance throughout the internship program. More importantly, setting clear goals and objectives establishes a sense of structure for the intern allowing them to coordinate their efforts and performance.
Consistent supervision and meetings: After a clear set of goals and tasks has been established for the intern the next essential ingredient for the intern is to have regular discussions and meetings to exchange ideas and concepts. To propose fresh innovative ideas and review the interns performance.
Feedback and Evaluation: Lastly and
most importantly, for an intern to measure how much they have
progressed and developed there needs to be an element of feedback and
evaluation. From the perspective of the interns mentors and
supervisors it is critical to not only evaluate the transition the
intern has gone through in regards to work but also the assess the
level of personal and professional achievements that the intern has
made. This way the intern can analyse and understand in more depth
whether they are prepared for progress to their desired career path.
How to Have a Successful Internship: (From an interns perspective)
 |
- Take in as much information as possible and don't be afraid to ask questions.
- Have realistic expectations
- Take the initiative
- Teach as much as you learn and practice what you teach.
- Tackle all tasks with enthusiasm and a positive attitude
- Avoid negativity
- Never shun a chance to learn more about
the company and the industry
- Take advantage of the perks and benefits an internship offers. (for instance in many internship placements the student is in direct contact with management and senior figures of authority.)
- Network, network, network
- Have regular meetings with supervisors
- Leave with tangible accomplishments and life long skills
Other Methods of How to Create a Successful Internship Program
- Give interns legitimate titles and status within the company
- Make the job as exciting and engaging as possible
- Give interns responsibility and challenging tasks
- For management to spend time with interns and to provide constructive feedback is essential for a productive internship placement.
In essential there are three fundamental factors that contribute to the success of an internship placement program.
1. To do something different and unique
2. To Learn something new and challenging
3. Finally to have an interesting story to tell.
And most important of all to Enjoy yourself!!!