Finding a company or an organization that will hire you as
an intern is definitely an easier thing to do than trying to get a full time
job with very little experience in your resume. Thus, it makes a lot of sense
to apply for an internship in a huge company where you can get work experience
that will attract future employers.
With gaining valuable experience in mind, here are the
things you can do while you are an intern, so that you can make the most out of
your time investment:
Take control of your role as an intern.
Interns are often treated like a regular worker, so they are
asked to do things that regular employees do. However, it is also common for
interns to be asked to do the most irrelevant and boring things in the office.
You don’t have to experience this, though.
Remember that you are not on the company’s payroll, so you
can be more proactive when it comes to asking for what activities you will
spend time on. Think about what skills you need to develop, which will make you
marketable in your field. Talk to your supervisor and ask if you could be
assigned to work in a certain department or with a certain person. This way,
you will gain the experience and learn the things that will be useful for your
job search later on.
Participate in conferences and industry events.
Joining an internship program is also a good opportunity to
build your network. Be willing to go to industry events where you can meet
people in the field. Be sure to go there with your own business card indicating
your position in your current company. You should also look presentable, and
you must act in a very professional manner. You will never know who you will
meet in such events, so you have to grab this kind of opportunity.
Get a thing or two from your coworker.
The regular employees in the company or organization where
you are working as an intern are also a good source of information about the
career you want to pursue, or the job you dream to have. Be friendly with them
and don’t hesitate to ask about how they find their jobs. You would want to
know if they like the workplace culture in the company, for instance. You can
also ask how promotions are given in the company.
Such information might not be relevant to you yet, but they
will at least give you an idea about how the company works and how its workers
perform their jobs. Through this, you may decide if this is the right career
for you, or perhaps you should think about changing careers at this early stage. Either way, this will help you make an
informed decision about your career.
