Internships aren’t just about giving you valuable hands-on experience. They can also pave the way for future career opportunities. And that’s why doing everything you can to make your internship experience a successful one is so important.
Whether you’re starting an internship or researching prospective opportunities, there are several things you can do to position yourself for success. A recent report from InternMatch, “The State of the Internship,” is packed with valuable information for current and prospective interns.
We think it’s definitely worth a download, but in the meantime, here’s a cheat sheet of 5 ways to succeed at your next internship:
Start Early
If you’re looking for an internship, be sure to start your search early. According to the report, nearly 40% of companies with more than 250 employees start recruiting their interns more than a year in advance. As you start to decide which companies you’d like to intern with, do some research. Visit their corporate websites, connect with them on social networking sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter and check to see if they’ll be appearing at an upcoming career fair so you can network with a company recruiter and get more information about the intern hiring process.
Timing Is Key
Speaking of starting early? You don’t necessarily have to wait for your junior or senior year of college to complete an internship. InternMatch reports that 33% of students completed an internship before their sophomore year, while 24.9% of students finished their first internship during their sophomore year. Some interns start even earlier; 17.4% of students reported that they finished internships while in high school.
Build Your Personal Network
Whether you’re looking for an internship or you already have one, take some time to build your personal network. Nearly 33% of students said their personal networks were the most helpful resource in their internship search, and networks are also an important part of the job-seeking process. Attend events like young professional happy hours or similar events on campus or in your city. Stay active on professional networking sites like LinkedIn by building your connections, sharing industry information and keeping your profile complete and current. And once you’re at an internship, make friends with your fellow interns and co-workers so that you can maintain those valuable relationships once your internship is over.
Consider Multiple Internships
Nearly 60% of students complete multiple internships, another reason it’s important to start your search early. Working as an intern at more than one company can give you valuable insight into the sort of company culture that you find most attractive, as well as what sort of work you’d like to do throughout your career. Or consider returning for a second, third or even fourth internship at the same company, which will give you opportunities to explore different types of work and get a better sense of what you might want to do when you graduate. We’ve had several interns return to Burns & McDonnell to continue their internship experience, and they’ve all loved the opportunity to explore different focus areas within the larger engineering industry.
Make A Plan
Your internship will be over before you know it. That’s why it’s so important to make the most of your experience. Before your internship begins (or as it’s starting), create a plan for what you’d like to learn and accomplish while you’re at the company. And once you’ve created some benchmarks, revisit your list throughout the internship to see if you’re still on track. Nearly 60% of students said that gaining professional experience and building a portfolio was the most important part of their internship, and by setting expectations for yourself before you begin, you can increase your chances of building the skills and experience you’ll need as you embark on your career path.
Interested in reading more? Be sure to check out the full InternMatch report. In the meantime, we wish you the best of luck in your internship! Our summer interns just started, and we’re excited to see how their experience unfolds.
Have any other internship success tips to add? We’d love to hear your input.