By Zoe Frances Huber
Internships are defined by Webster's dictionary as "an advanced student or graduate usually in a professional field (such as medicine or teaching) gaining supervised practical experience (as in a hospital or classroom)". Internships are a way that students gain experience before going into the workforce; by observing other employees you can see an example of what life may look like in your future. While students have the same fundamental criteria in what they are looking for in an internship, where that criteria begin to differ is in the details. As in what is most important to some is not to another, internships can be based on location, prestige, or office life. Which leads to the question, what internships best fits and what will be most beneficial for you?
You first need to identify the main elements you would like to get out of the internship. There are a variety of things to gain from an internship but an example of some is developing grit, gaining more independence, or understanding how to work in a professional environment. Once you find out what is most valuable to you the next step is to find an internship that fits that standard. The ways of finding an available internship can vary but you can find some through the use of the internet or asking around from family and friends. During the interviewing process, many places are looking unsure you are a good fit; things they are looking for is, do you fit the office culture, will you be content with little pay, and do you meet the standards of their place of business. Once you find and secure an internship that is a good fit for you, now you may reap the appropriate benefits. Whether that is getting the fulfillment for seeing long term projects complete, getting to live in new and interesting places, receiving rigorous tasks that expand your knowledge, gaining experience, or achieving recognition from people within the office.
Living day-to-day life as an intern may get the reputation of doing grunt work for little pay but in reality, internships are a wonderful way to gain a deeper understanding of your field, as well as this is you opening the door into the professional world. It truly depends on the job you get accepted for but in many cases, interns begin by doing simple tasks, then later graduate into more complex projects. If you choose to do a film internship for example you may get to work with others on researching for a documentary video. In this you would gain real experience, developing your group working skills, and being shown first hand just how these projects are produced. You can find a place to do internships by connecting with local businesses and work something out with them. Pay, work times, etc…
Internships are hard work but the benefits that you gain from the experience are worth it. Getting the real job experience without being expected to know everything is a great way to learn how to do tasks properly and deepen your understanding. And by doing this, being a former intern will help you stand out from the crowd on your resumes when you are applying for jobs.
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