Workers can increase the odds of turning an internship into paid work by identifying areas where the organization could improve or add value to its customers, according to a career expert.Getty Images
The work can be challenging, boring or in some cases, almost demeaning. You may encounter coworkers who treat you as little more than a coffee-fetcher, but there’s always a chance one could become your next mentor. You might get paid, but usually not much.
Internships represent one of the most unpredictable career experiences, but there’s no question of their potential value. For students and recent graduates, being an intern can provide the first real exposure to your chosen field. Some internships end with glowing reference letters or possibly a full-time job offer.
Two years ago, a survey by staffing agency Express Employment Professionals found one in five Canadian companies were developing or offering internship programs. Hanif Hemani, a Saskatoon-based Express franchise owner, has continued to see strong support for internship programs among employers since then, largely owing to a “talent vacuum” as businesses struggle to retain employees and older workers retire.
“Internships have been recognized by employers as a great source of early insight and a sneak peek into building their talent force for the future,” Mr. Hemani says in an interview with The Globe and Mail. “Why wouldn’t you want to have somebody in your organization who shows initiative and engagement and where you can showcase your culture and values?”
For job seekers, recent graduates and interns, the process of finding, landing and making the most of your internship needs careful planning. Here’s what the experts suggest:
Showcase your full potential
Internship postings can often be found on major job sites like Indeed or LinkedIn, but most colleges and universities also have portals with internship opportunities they receive directly from employers.
Byung C. Oh, a career counsellor and strategist at the University of Toronto Scarborough, says exploring job sites and LinkedIn is a good starting point to see what skills employers are looking for. Once you start applying, he suggests drawing upon any achievements that might help you stand out, including time spent volunteering and participating in school teams and clubs.
“Often I find that a student will have experiences that are not traditional job experiences, but activities where they learned great transferable skills they can bring to an internship,” he says. “Those skills and experiences are the beginning of your resumé.”
Scrutinize the scope
It might be tempting to pursue any and every internship opportunity you can find, but it pays to be choosy, according to Meghan Reid, managing director at Toronto-based Canada Career Counselling.
Some employers don’t put a lot of effort into formalizing internship programs with clearly articulated expectations and deliverables. Ask what the scope of work will entail, Ms. Reid suggests, as well as what the onboarding process for interns looks like and how feedback will be provided.
Just like an employer conducting the interview, prospective interns should assess whether the opportunity is a fit, Ms. Reid says. Try to determine how much you’ll learn, the extent to which it will stretch your skills and whether the organization represents the kind of place you want to work. Be open to all kinds of companies – not just well-known brands or the largest employers in your industry.
“In a small company, you could potentially have a more interesting opportunity or be able to make a bigger impact,” she says.
Capture your journey
Once you land an internship, Mr. Hemani suggests treating it like a work project where you map out your desired outcomes, such as the relationships you want to build and the skills you aim to learn. Introduce yourself to as many people in the company as you can, and don’t be afraid to approach potential mentors.
When you’re in the thick of day-to-day work, it can be easy to forget what you’ve accomplished. That’s why Mr. Hemani recommends creating a “STAR” file, which stands for Situation, Task, Action, Result. Document your experiences based on the situation or context in which the company was operating at the time, the tasks you were given, the actions you took and the results achieved. This file can be invaluable when showcasing your accomplishments to potential employers, possibly even the same organization that gave you the internship.
Ms. Reid says you can increase the odds of turning an internship into paid work by identifying areas where the organization could improve or add value to its customers. It’s also in part about how you show up.
“Of course, it’s necessary that you’re capable and skilled to do the work,” she says. “But the next half of it is, are you somebody that people want to work with?”
Mr. Hemani agrees. “Resumés can show the work you’ve done, but they don’t always tell a lot about who you are,” he says. “And today, many employers are looking for skills, but they’re hiring for attitude.”