Come summer and the hunt for internships begins. With two months at one’s disposal, internships can be a constructive way to spend this time (at times with monetary rewards). Full- time or part-time, before you head out with your internship search party, here are few things that you should keep in mind:
Have a one-page CV ready
That CV is one of the most crucial elements of your internship application. Customise it for the role that you are applying and make sure your strengths are highlighted. As the popular notion goes, it should ideally be a one-page CV listing your work experience, academic record, awards, skills, student leadership and relevant co-curricular activities (yes, you being the tennis champion of your locality isn’t relevant for a sales job).
Apply first for the job and then for the brand
If your passion lies in corporate communications, then having a sales internship in Google shouldn’t be a priority. Yes, it is Google and is a fancy name to have on your CV. But the profile is not your thing. Move on.
Small teams mean more experience
In the age of MNCs and corporate dominance, don’t aim to work in that swanky office with unlimited food and coffee. It is a great place to network and build contacts, but in terms of job responsibility you might not get a lot of opportunity. With the start-up culture in boom, working with an idea you admire can be interesting.
Think of the field
Think of the kind of field you would like to work in. Internships can also be a good way to figure out whether you enjoy working in a certain profession or atmosphere. Confused? It is okay to be confused. The solution lies in experimentation. Experiment with varied internships till you find your calling. For the more clear headed, work on growth in that particular field. Use your internship experiences to build a network.
Start that hunt
We have initialized you into the mental framework you need for that internship. What about the internship itself? Well, start that hunt. While there is a utopia around the idea of approaching recruiters, the action in itself is inevitable. You can either apply for organised internship programs that several companies release between January and April or create your own opportunities. Create a database of places and profiles you would like to work for, list their contact details and start contacting. Interested in working with a media house? Call, email (read spam), call and check – repeat this cycle until you get a response. Persistence is the key. You could also use portals such as LinkedIn in your hunt.
Internships in India require initiative
Sadly, a lot of internship opportunities in India turn out to be unpaid. This means that your presence actually doesn’t make a difference to the people in the office. But if you want it to make a difference in your CV, you need to make certain things happen. When in a media house, you could sit and send those two tweets a day, or take initiative, write a story and get it published. Remember one thing – it is okay to ask for work. Active and passionate candidates have higher chances of converting that internship to a job opportunity.
Wishing you all the best to secure that internship!
imagecourtesy:collegerebellion.com
