Introduction to Internships - Continued

Page 2 of 2    Back

As an intern, your environment should be characterized by the chance to: bond with a mentor; attend organizational meetings; shadow staff working in various functions; perform research or analysis; take ownership of a specific project; and receive training specific to your field of interest.

The extent to which your internship will offer you a defined role depends on the organization with which you work. Some companies have rigidly structured, long-standing programs for interns, while others, particularly small firms or organizations in the public sector, might offer you an incredible amount of self-determination. 

Regardless of how structured your role might be, internships offer you a chance to explore a potential career without having to make a long-term, life decision. By actually participating in a field that interests you, you not only have the opportunity to "get your foot in the door," you also acquire practical skills and make valuable contacts. Even if you learn via your internship that you would never enter that particular career or corporation, you have learned something of immense value. Far too many bright and ambitious individuals earn graduate degrees or commit themselves to a career before even taking their interest for a test-drive. By completing an internship, you have the chance to gauge how reality measures up to your expectations. Not every internship will provide you with a solution to your career search, but even if your internship doesn't "work out" in the traditional sense, the skills you acquired and the contacts you made will offer you resources with which to pursue your next step. No matter what, introducing yourself to the internship can significantly advance your search for a rewarding career.