Choosing the right internship

Completing an internship is important, but choosing the right internship is just an important. The internship you have chosen could very likely become your first job after you graduate. How should you choose an internship that suits your future career goals and helps? You may wish to think consider the following:

Industry/Sector

Is there a particular industry or sector that you would like to work in after graduation? Private sector or government agencies? There are hundreds of industries to choose from, Banking, Chemical, Natural Resources, etc. Ideally the internship that you choose should help you gain experience and insight about your future industry/sector. This internship would be able to let you decide whether you are suitable for this industry/sector. Is the banking industry too competitive for you? Would you be more comfortable at a government agency? Is your outspoken personality more suitable for front-end client facing jobs?

Company size

Are you interested in a job that requires you to travel frequently or would you prefer to be based in the same office? Would you like to meet and work with people from different countries? A multi-national company may require you to travel and work with clients or colleagues from across the globe. Whereas working for a small or medium sized company would usually mean that the people you are working with in in the same country or region.

Experience gained

You may want to ask yourself what you hope to get out of the internship. Are you hoping to be working with clients or do you want to hone your technical skills through this internship? Do you want to specialise in your own field or if you want to have a diverse experience with all sorts of tasks would an internship at a startup company be more suitable?

Networking Potential

Last, but definitely not least, how likely would you be able to expand your network at the internship? Meeting and interacting with industry professionals is an extremely valuable opportunity. Through your interactions, you will get the chance to learn professional skills required for the job, gain valuable career advice and maybe even references for your future job. It is common for larger organisations to have structured internship programs that assign each intern with a mentor and also a rotation regime to allow the intern to work in several different departments. There could also be lunch-n-learns for interns to hear from representatives from various departments about their experiences and available career paths.

Weigh the factors and determine what you hope to achieve from your internship to help you make a decision that would benefit your career.