You would be living under a rock if you weren’t aware of the effect that the COVID-19 pandemic has had on the workforce. For many people, the reality was grim and isolating, but old ways of thinking about work were dropped to make way for a better, more efficient professional environment.
The good news is that we have since taken the path into a post-COVID world. In a professional sense, gone are the days of where an employer-centred perspective reigned supreme. Industries have reported to be more employee-centred since COVID due to a focus on maintaining a work-life balance (such as in the case of flexible work and remote opportunities). Internships serve a variety of purposes. One of them is a way for you to skill-up and make the most of a having a mentor to guide you. Another reason why internships are so popular post-covid is because of a vast number of professionals who have been inspired by putting themselves first during covid and made a career change. Whatever your reason, an internship can only benefit your chances of becoming a more prepared and work-ready job candidate.
Want to maximise your chances of professional success in our brave new post-COVID landscape? Let’s go over some tips to get the internship of your dreams and have a look at how an internship can benefit your career.
1. Think about what you really want in a career and follow it
We are in an age where job satisfaction is one of the most crucial factors in establishing a healthy and positive workforce. This means that you have the power to be discerning in your career research and ensure that the path you take matches up with your values and goals. An internship is a fantastic way to do this. Post-covid, companies are more and more seeking valuable people to join their team, so the odds are in your favour.
2. Use your internship as a way to network
Internships are all about going through a learning curve period so that you can be “job ready” at the beginning of your career. What better way to be job ready than to have a network of reliable mentors already before you start your first day on the job of your dream company? You could potentially collaborate with someone from your network in the future, or think of your network as the building blocks for the type of people you’d love to work on a professional project with.
3. Internships are a learning period
Have a think about times in your job where you’ve learned the most valuable skills you’ve taken into varied aspects of your job. Surprisingly, it’s not in the classroom at university where you acquire them (although the knowledge you get related to your field is indispensable!), it’s by doing tasks. At an internship program, you will be put in situations in the workplace where you will have a gradual relinquishing of responsibility when completing tasks.
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4. Have the confidence in yourself and allow yourself to flourish
It’s really important to realise that you have the power to go after what you want, and that it takes confidence to realise what you deserve in a career. Internships are really beneficial for you to gauge the expectations of your dream job so that you can grow along with your skills. The sense of perspective that an internship provides you with is so valuable for anyone, regardless of the stage of their career. People who have a healthy sense of confidence also have a sense of self-efficacy and high self-esteem. What this means for you is that when these aspects of the self are realised professionally, you’re more likely to advocate for your career and collaborate with others.
5. You can use an internship to specialise in your field and gain real world experience
If you’re looking for ways to skill up, then an internship can help you specialise. For example, if you’re in the process of training to be a marketing professional, an internship can be just the thing you need to gain experience across different facets of the industry. Copywriters work in different settings than social media marketers. Similarly, engineering internships can give you a glimpse into the different fields of speciality.The time to take your shot post-covid with the internship of your dreams is now. Put yourself and your professional goals first by achieving them in measurable ways.
Internships are a perfect example of how you can scaffold your way into your field of choice, or learn more skills that are not only relevant to your area, but transferrable across all industries. To become a more versatile professional, consider taking this step to benefit your career.Want to know more?
Take a browse through our internship opportunities with Premium Graduate Placements or learn more about our mentorship program.
