Choosing a Sensible Internship

Internship is a pre-requisite and a part of the college curriculum.  Most students enter the on-the-job-training on their last year in college. Some schools provide company internships while for others they let their students search on their own and just provide recommendation letters for a possible placement.

Career advisers say that is wise to choose the best internship as possible. It is recommended to first know your long-term career goals – what do you love to do and how do you see yourself doing in three or more years from now. It is recommended for students eyeing for a good job not to jump into OJT right away. Identify companies that offer workshop that will support your goals, better if you can enter a multi-national company wherein you can have the chances of being absorbed and hired after you graduate.

Talk to your college’s placement officer and to other former interns for feedbacks and experiences, so as to get suggestions which company to go after and which is to avoid.

Practicum is the prelude to prepare graduating college students to the career world, so it is important to pursue with it strategically and not just for the sake of completing your course requirements.  Well and good if you will be given specific training program that could develop your potential and learning goals, but if after a week of placement only menial tasks like photocopying papers, running errands like fixing coffee and at the rest of the day you’re just counting nails on the ceiling, well definitely such duties will not give you an extra mile. So, if that happens, try to volunteer for tasks that will boost your visibility and learning. Your supervisor may be testing you or watching you, show them you are eager to learn so they may entrust you with big things to do.

Moreover, internship teaches students a high-level of professionalism and workmanship which will be of great advantage to achieving your future career goals.