In today’s world, freshers struggle to find their first real job because even entry-level ones demand work experience. You could have a great degree and prepare all you want for interviews, but unless your resume shows some level of expertise, no recruiter is going to look at it twice.
The real head-scratcher, however, remains, ‘how to gain experience if nobody gives you a job?
Internships are the answer to gaining relevant experience. It helps in cultivating industry-specific skills that will be useful when you get a real job and get a feel of how a workplace works.
Here is a list of five ways your internship experience can help you land a real full-time job:
- Helps build a network
As a fresh graduate, your social circle is mostly limited to your peers. Interning can help in expanding your network which can help you land a job.
Start by reaching out to the employees of the workplace you are interning at. You don’t need to forge friendships but have a good working relationship with them. Show them that you are a skilled worker and help them out at work.
Having a good relationship with your manager and other people of authority will also help you immensely in the long run.
Interns with exceptional skills and a good work ethic might also be offered a full-time position at their current organization. So, do your best to remain in the good books of your manager.
Your supervisor or manager can not only help you find work but also act as a mentor while you try to move forward in the industry.
So, be vigilant, network with the right people and if you see an opening, go ahead and ask what it will take for you to obtain that position.
- Internship experience looks great on a resume
However great your academics might be, they will never draw a recruiter’s attention unless there is some professional experience listed on the resume.
An internship can help you pick up the skills you need for an entry-level job in the industry you are interested in. It helps you get your foot in the door so you can land a full-time job soon.
NACE’s student survey showed that in 2019, among 53.2 percent of the graduating seniors who received at least one job offer, 57.5 percent reported having internship experience. This is 14 percent higher than the percentage of graduating seniors who had no internship experience.
This shows that employers are much more likely to hire someone with an impeccable internship resume even if they are college graduates.
- You’ll gain invaluable real-world workplace experience
When you work as an intern, you do not have as many responsibilities as a full-time employee but you still get hands-on experience of how an office works. It can also help you get a peek of what work-life would look like in this industry and if you want to follow this career path in the future.
It’s your responsibility to learn as much as you can while interning. Most places will provide at least basic training but there will be no hand-holding. It can be a hard habit to break from being instructed on what to do to be responsible for your work.
This real-world experience is what will set you apart from other candidates when you look for a real job.
- Internships can often turn into full-time jobs
Research shows that 4-in-10 graduate jobs are ‘reserved for student interns’.
Interning is an excellent opportunity for you to show your worth and leverage your internship position into a full-time job.
Many employers use internships as a test run before hiring a fresh graduate and others hire interns after they graduate. And it makes perfect sense as well because it’s easier to hire a person who is already familiar with the ins and outs of a workplace and can hit the ground running rather than hiring a new person and showing them the ropes.
If you think that you have an opportunity of turning your internship into a full-time role, talk to your supervisor. If you are still a student, wait until the end of the semester before setting up a meeting to ask for a full-time job.
Show your interest by attending as many staff gatherings and meetings as possible and try to get yourself noticed through your work.
- You can use it as a reference
The letter of recommendation you will earn from an internship is extremely valuable and reference from your direct supervisor can help your application be noticed when you apply for a job.
A future prospective employer is bound to check any references you provide along with your resume. Positive comments from a past supervisor will always bode in your favor.
- Your colleagues’ advice will help
Your colleagues might have started from an internship as well before getting to the position they are at today. Not only could this advice be beneficial to you but your enthusiasm for work could bring you to notice and help you land a job at your current organization as well.
If a colleague you admire is part of any professional organization, ask them if they could introduce you or take you as a guest to one of the organization’s meetings. This would help cultivate a network in your target industry.
Ask them if they suggest any specific certifications or training that would help in developing your skills to better your chance at employment.
- Don’t shy away from asking for help
Ask people to review your work and what it would take for you to become a model employee. If any positions open up, ask your co-workers to recommend you.
Tell them to recommend you for positions out of your workplace. Tell them that you will be happy to be introduced to professionals who may be hiring for an entry-level position.
Keep in touch with the people you have met during your internship even after it’s finished. Keep them aware of your job search so you can find out about openings.
Conclusion
As you can observe, internships are amazing resources that can lead you towards the right job. They can help you develop the right skills while also showing you how you will fit into an office.
Some internships can turn into full-time jobs while some are a great place to learn and network.
These are the 7 ways internship experience can help you land a job:
- You can build a solid network at your workplace and use these contacts to find a job.
- Internship experience counts as work experience and when displayed on your resume it can attract recruiters.
- Internships give you a peek into how an office works.
- Internships can often turn into full-time jobs.
- The letter of recommendation and references that you earn from your internship can be used while looking for a job.
- You will encounter many people that might have started their career with an internship themselves. Take their advice on what steps you need to take next to advance your career in your industry.
- Ask your colleagues to recommend you for open positions or introduce you to someone who they know might be hiring.
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