Internships

Frank has just finished an internship at a news magazine and he is going over notes he gave his boss about the experience. He had a successful internship and decided to take notes for a blog he is writing. Here are his observations.

First, a few questions. What are the objectives of an internship? Do you fit in? Will you like the job? What is the on the job experience really like? What happens after? Where should I intern? How do I follow up?

Internships are about relationships. How often do we hear about people who were interns at a company years ago and are now senior executives in the sector. They connect and stay connected. These relationships take time and if you are in the right internship they pay later on.

You know you have succeeded at an internship when you have connected, enjoyed and learned from your experience. Make sure you do what is necessary to achieve these outcomes.

You know you have a perfect internship when the position is two levels higher than the situation you think you can find for you first job.

Following up with an internship is important because here is where you develop the relationships. Informal drinks, short emails for updates and social media connections are good.