5 Benefits of an Internship
By: Kelly Vanderwall
Internships are a great way to advance your career and gain “real world experience”. They look great on resumes and can open many doors in the future. But, I bet you already know those things about internships. So here are some benefits of internships that you might not have thought about before:
Learn How to Dress for Success
We all have our go-to business suit that we use for big presentations and job interviews, but you’re likely not going to wear that to work every day at an internship. This allows you to explore other options for professional dress by trying new outfits and seeing what other co-workers wear.
Meet a Mentor
Occasionally during an internship, you and your supervisor or co-worker might make a personal connection that creates a lasting friendship. Having someone to look up to and offer you feedback can be beneficial to you for the rest of your life as you navigate your career.
Make Learning in Class Easier
Whatever you learn in your internship will likely come up in one of your classes. When it does, you can instantly feel like an expert on the topic and contribute to the class discussion about your experience.
Learn Professional Etiquette
While at an internship, you learn about how to behave on a day to day basis in a professional setting. For example, which issues should be addressed in an email? How about a phone call? How should you address your bosses? Is it okay to just walk into someone’s office or should you knock? While all companies do differ, the answers to many of these questions stay the same.
Learn to Establish Yourself
There are very few times when you get a fresh start. On your first day of an internship, nobody really knows anything about you. You could have a 4.0 GPA but at an internship, nobody knows that or really even cares. It is up to you to determine how you want your co-workers to see you, and then go on to become that person.