The importance of internships in the current job market goes without saying. However, many students and graduates are confused about the purpose of an internship or why to do an internship. In this article, let’s have a look at how internships can benefit your career.
Purpose of Internship
Internships can fill the gap between academic education and practical work experience. Let’s know the purpose of internships and how internships can help in your career building.
Gaining practical experience
Internships help gain practical experience in an industry or field. Through practical assignments and projects, interns get the opportunity to apply their theoretical knowledge in real life. This practical experience helps them develop skills that stay on top of employers’ needs.
Exploring career options
One of the purposes of an internship is to explore career options. Internships provide opportunities to explore different careers and industries, thereby test-driving potential careers. Through hands-on experience, an intern can assess the demands, challenges and benefits of various careers, thoroughly vetting them and making a choice.
Building professional networks
Networking is very important for career development and the purpose of internships is to make professional connections. Internships give an intern the opportunity to network with industry professionals, mentors, and other interns for future references, recommendations, and potential job opportunities.
Build a resume
Mentioning internship experience on the resume increases the chances of getting the job. Any employer must give more importance to practical experience, and through internship a person gets work experience in a professional environment. Again skill development through internship makes a candidate’s profile heavy.
Building soft skills
Along with technical skills, internships help in learning the necessary soft skills very quickly. Many soft skills like communication, teamwork, problem solving, adaptability and time management can be acquired automatically through internships.
Know industry insights
Internships provide a first-hand understanding of how the industry works, what trends are going on, etc. Interns learn about day-to-day operations, challenges and opportunities. This knowledge results in a detailed knowledge of the overall picture of a particular industry that is useful both now and in the future.
Access to mentorship and guidance
Many internships have mentorship programs where interns receive guidance and support from experienced professionals. Mentors facilitate an intern’s professional journey by providing their valuable advice, career insights, etc. Besides, finding a career of your choice through mentorship is one of the objectives of the internship.
Earning academic credit
Many educational institutions offer academic credit for internships, making it easier to gain practical experience while advancing their degree. By blending the classroom and the real world together, academic performance can be enhanced and the competitive job market is facilitated.
Building personal growth and confidence
There is no doubt about personal growth through the knowledge and experience gained from internships. Again, due to the benefit of experience, confidence in real life work is gained through internship.
▶ 35 Internship Statistics 2024: Data, Case Studies & Trends
Does an internship come in handy?
Are internships really useful? The answer is yes, internships provide invaluable practical experience, action exploration, networking, skill development, personal growth, etc. Internship is not only about gaining experience, but it also plays an important role in finding your passion, exposure and enriching your career.