An internship gives you the opportunity to learn about various products and projects of a company and equips you with the right skills and intellect to solve corporate world problems. It prepares you for a brighter professional life irrespective of the size of the company you work for and serves as a huge advantage especially in job interviews since you will have relevant experience in the concerned field which will make you stand out from the crowd.
In order to complete an internship successfully, you must work very hard to learn the in-depth business operations of the company. The duties assigned to you will help you build competencies which may not be developed solely through knowledge of management subjects.
However, you must keep the following points in mind before applying for an internship with any company:
8 Things to Keep in Mind Before Applying for an Internship
(1) Prepare and maintain an updated CV in PDF format – Your CV is your first impression upon the employer so take some time to prepare it well. You can also hire or take help from a professional for writing a CV. You must be able to justify all claims made by you on your CV, so write only what you can prove.
(2) Setup and maintain an updated professional LinkedIn Profile – It is an easy way to share your portfolio with any company. Big companies like flipkart hire interns as well as employees via linkden so do take this task very seriously.
(3) Apply 4-5 months before you plan to start your internship – It’s a war out their amongst management students to land an internships in A-listed companies, so if you are late, you might not even have a chance. The best way to get an internship with a reputed company is to apply directly through their corporate website.
(4) Keep checking regularly for internship opportunities on the corporate website of your preferred company – Employers offer internships many times a year and they do it at their own convenience. If there is a requirement for intern at any company, you will first find it at their own job search portal on their website.
(5)Check your emails and phone regularly – A quick response leaves a good first impression and is always appreciated by employers. So keep checking your phones and emails regularly for an internship proposal from the relevant company and respond to their offer as soon as possible.
(6) Keep your desk prepared to attend a telephonic or Skype interview – You might not be lucky enough to get the internship in the city you currently live and it is possible that you may have to migrate to another city for few months. In such a case a preliminary interview is conducted by the company through skype or other audio-visual mediums, so be prepared for it.
(7) Recommendations may not be required but references are – A recommendation letter is specifically related to your key skills and qualifications, while a reference letter is usually more general in nature and is related to your overall character and personality. An internship is generally considered a training program for students so the employer may not expect you to have any specific skills but they do expect students with a good character and personality and general traits like leadership skills, communication skills, ability to work with a team, passion for the relevant field etc. Therefore, it will be beneficial to have few reference letters from people you have studied under or work closely in the past. Add some good references on your CV as they can be contacted to get an opinion on you.
(8) Read about the current developments in the field for which you are applying – It will provide a good impression to the interviewer if you are updated on latest developments in the industry.
Where and When you should pursue an internship is completely up to you. You may choose to do your internship in marketing, sales, accounting, operations, advertising or other supporting functional departments of a business. Many companies in India offer various internship opportunities for management interns for a period of 2 – 6 months usually during summer and winter breaks.
Wondering how to get your preferred internship program into the company you love? The best way to get an internship with a reputed company is to apply directly through their corporate website. The main advantage of doing an internship with the A-listed companies is that irrespective of the nature and scope of your internship, it will always be recognized by your future employer.
The best internships for management students generally lie in the field of sales, marketing, advertising, operations, human resources, and finance. Nevertheless, the choice of industry will depend on your preferences.