If you are offered the opportunity to participate in an internship at any point during your training or studies, you should take it. Of course, there are different kinds of internships, and one of the main differences is that some are paid, and some are unpaid. While naturally, it is preferable to receive compensation for your work, even an unpaid internship can benefit your career.
From a big-picture perspective, your wages are arguably the least essential advantage of your first professional gig, especially early in your career. Payment is why you do the job in the first place, but from a long-time career perspective, there are other, more lucrative currencies to be gained.
I call this your career currency, and it is the stuff that will allow you to move up to bigger and better jobs throughout your working life. Some examples include your professional reputation, your network, the skills and experiences you gain on the job, and the accomplishments that you rack up that set you apart.
And you start gaining these currencies right from the outset of your first job. The absolute basics are showing up on time, working hard, helping others, and providing outstanding service. People remember these things, and they'll want to work with you again and recommend you to others. Employers value team members who demonstrate a willingness to learn and have a positive work ethic. These attributes are widely sought-after and transferable across industries.
They are also super beneficial since most people change industries throughout their careers. So, your first job isn't likely to be in the same field where you will spend most of your working life.
Here are seven ways that internships can be very beneficial to your career.
You get to test drive your career choice. An internship is an opportunity to try out the role over time in a way that allows you the most space and time to train for it. You may find that the practical experience you receive is very different from anything you gain from theoretical. Just because you enjoy learning how to perform certain functions doesn't mean you'll enjoy doing them every day.
You may also discover new strengths on the job that allow you to change your focus or gain extra training for a role in the field you weren't previously aware of.
Working alongside people who are currently employed in the profession can give you a great deal more perspective into what life is like in that career path than you could possibly learn in school.
You gain real-world experience. Whether or not you are paid for your time, work is work. Your internship counts as professional experience on your resume. This can give you a leg up in future job searches. Even for entry-level positions, employers often prefer to hire candidates who have some experience in the field. Having that internship in your work history can get you past the can't get a job without experience/can't get experience without a job Catch 22 that many first-time job-seekers face.
You can build the foundations of your professional reputation. Dress professionally. Have a positive attitude. Show up to work on time or early every day with enthusiasm to work hard, learn from others, and be as helpful as possible. Perform every task you are assigned to the very best of your abilities and volunteer to take on extra work whenever possible. In this way, clients, coworkers, and managers will enjoy working with you and will happily recommend you for future opportunities.
You kickstart your professional network. Because your internship is a chance to try out a job in your field, the people you will be working with are professionals in that sector. Because of your attitude and work ethic (see above), you will have created the beginnings of your network. These are your professional connections who think highly of you on the job and would like to help you succeed in your career.
You will find it significantly easier to be hired for the most desirable jobs in your field if you have a strong professional network behind you. Since many companies tap their current staff for referrals for open positions, your network can give you access to the hidden job market. You can learn about job openings that are rarely advertised to the public.
You can learn on the job. Internships are meant to be learning opportunities. You can gain insights from professionals in the field that you would not have access to in a classroom. You can also learn about your strengths, weaknesses, and preferences on the job. Is there an area you need to work on before launching your career? Is there a career path in the sector that your unique attributes make you well-suited for?
Ask questions, pitch in on a variety of projects, and work with as many people as you can during your internship. It's a great chance to learn about the role in a real-world setting, so make the most of it.
You gain a confidence boost. Job interviews are nerve-wracking. A lot is riding on that meeting with a potential employer you know is judging you. One of the things interviewers scrutinize is how confident you seem to be in your ability to complete the tasks. It's easier to be assured of your own competence and convince others of your ability when you have some real-world experience behind you. Your internship gives you that experience and the confidence that comes with it moving forward.
You could get a shot at a real job. Many companies use their internship programs as a part of the recruitment process. It's a way to try out potential candidates in a low-risk fashion. If they don't hire the intern at the end of the period, they've still helped a young person just starting out in their career. On the other hand, if they discover a stand-out talent or an intern who is a particularly great fit with the team, they can hire a known asset to the company.
There's no guarantee that your internship will lead to a full-time job, but by working hard, having a positive attitude, and learning all that you can, it just might. And even if it doesn't, those same behaviours will help generate all of the other career currency that can be the building blocks of your future career success.