The Pros and Cons that Students Face During an Internship
Well, summer is here, at least in some areas of the world. It still seems far away in other places! But, there is nothing like a summer internships. Regardless of whether the sun is out, May to August is often known as the season for doing a summer internship.
Doing an internship can help you gain industry experience, boost your resume, broaden your network, and allow you to earn some money. In today’s scenario, an internship can be a nice way to get the best job at your doorstep. But, as you know, all internships are not at all equal. If there are benefits, then there must be disadvantages.
Let’s start with its positive aspects-
Students are guaranteed to have valuable experience – Believe it or not, it is true that internships provide some work experience to students that they just can’t get in any classroom. They may not be taking the internships in the desired profile they want to go, but this experience will benefit them in the future in some way or another.
It helps students decide on the right career path – If you are confused about choosing the right career path for you, doing an internship is a great way to come out of this situation. Internships are meant to be short-term. It helps you identify the right opportunity and exploring the fields of social work that you may not have realized earlier. So, test your future career and find out if it is a career you are meant to have.
Chances of getting the job increases – Employers are more concerned about the work experience you have than your qualifications, and doing an internship is the only way to gain the work experience you need to get the job, so it plays an important role in your resume. Many employers prefer/require only students who have already done an internship or who have professional working experience, and in competitive job markets, sometimes it becomes important to set yourself aside from others.
Even though there are lots of benefits, as I have mentioned above, every system has its flaws as well. Given below are a few points that are not advantageous-
Low or no pay – Many undergraduates are financially challenged; they completely depend on their part time jobs to get by. In such case, it may become more important to get a job that has no relationship with your career goals, just to make ends meet. Thankfully, there are good companies who are paying their interns well, but what if you get a job in those who pay nothing or a lower wage than regular employees?
Nothing is guaranteed – Truly speaking, no employer can guarantee that the experience you’ll gain during internships will be good for you. Generally, internships are well-planned, but it is all about what you like and don’t in your job and employer. It may happen that your internship doesn’t turn out to be the way you expected earlier. Plus, you have no certainty that after the successful completion of an internship program, you will get a full-time job offer.
If you get enrolled into an internship with your mind open, it can be a mesmerizing experience for you; a way for starting a professional career. To gain as much as possible, you need to know everything about the specific program. If possible, connect with people who have already interned there. Find out what they did like or dislike about the program, and keep everything in mind. This way, you can measure its pros and cons, and commit to a program that fits into your career goal.
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