The job market is a brutal place with crazy amounts of competition out there all scrapping over a position. Why not arm yourself with the best weapon out there for locking down jobs and standing out above the crowd. Experience is like gold when it comes to employers looking to hire someone new, so why not get the experience while you are studying? Internships are crucial to students and recent graduates as they give that much needed experience in a real working environment, along with exposure to an organisation that you may want to work at in the future. But turning an internship into a permanent job is first prize if we are honest.
What Organisations Look For
There are a few basic things that organisations are looking for when it comes to their internship programs. Most of them are common sense and don’t require exceptional amounts of thinking and effort. The first thing that they will be looking for is that you (the intern) do and complete the job that is assigned to you. Just stay focussed and motivated no matter how boring, silly or terrible the job seems. The employer will want someone who is willing and able to do jobs without a problem. Another highly important trait, that they will be looking closely at, is your ability to work in a team. Be a contributing member as well as an efficient one.
Standing Out From the Crowd
This is a little more complex and harder to achieve, if done incorrectly it can have negative effects. Don’t fall into the trap of being a soulless employee that just does the job like a robot. Employers are looking for someone who can do all of that but with their own twist of creativity and energy added in so to improve processes and jobs. Be yourself and don’t be shy to show how that hidden talent could give the organisation an advantage and help out other employees around you. If you can find a way to make your job and theirs easier, go for it!
Your Greatest Disadvantage is Also Your Greatest Advantage
Being inexperienced and green to the whole work environment is obviously a disadvantage but it could also be one of your greatest advantages! Coming into an organisation with fresh eyes and an outsider’s perspective means you could bring a host ideas which your more experienced colleagues have not thought of. This will require you to monitor current events and look at the organisation critically in order to spot the opportunity you wish to expose.
So follow these few simple things and you’ll be well on your way to securing that job from an internship.
