Every individual gets involved in one or any other type of extracurricular activities during the college life. These activities probably open door towards various experiences in general. Among these, the Internships are the most important activity which helps the candidate to enter in to the world of opportunities. Internships are in a way a real work experience that the candidates may undergo during their college life.

Internships relate mainly to major things - What one is expected to do and what one cannot do? No individuals begin their career without a general idea about what they need to do in their career. Internship is typically a job opportunity in an organization during the study period the only difference being that a candidate works for a work experience. Getting an internship enables a candidate to concentrate on a real work experience during the study tenure. This is more like a job where the candidates get to understand what are the skills that one is expected off from a potential employer? This may help the candidates to adjust their skills in accordance to that of the requirements what the job demands. The students get a unique opportunity in terms of a job during his study tenure.

Internships develop soft skills!

For a student who is in the college level, internships will be a turning point in his/her life. This is the level where in the students become capable of taking further decisions regarding their life. The students apply their practical knowledge in to practice at the time of internship in a way enhancing their core skill areas.

Generally, the students take initiatives in applying to various universities or organizations seeking the permission of Internships. In some cases, the college authorities it self take initiatives in allotting the various internships institutes to the candidates. In such a situation, the students cannot work in areas where they are actually interested in. But in cases, where the students themselves have taken initiatives for their projects, it will be of more value. The employers also generally look in for those qualities such as proactive behavior which in a way may impress them because the organizations are in constant search for potential candidates who can build or do their work on their own. This is an important quality which is needed in the corporate world.

A candidate who joins a company will be regarded as an employee not a student in the organization because he or she works as a full time employee who is contributing productively to the functioning of the organization on a whole. If they perform exceptionally well in a given project they will be offered employment in most of the cases in general.

The students also get to learn may skill sets during their internship days such as accountability, time management, discipline, communication skills, work ethics etc will increase. The students are taught how critical decisions are taken during certain situations. In short, the candidates are molded in to a potential employee.

Real Challenges!

Internships are a medium through which the candidates are given an opportunity for self assessment. The candidates should clearly understand their strengths and weaknesses in specific areas. For the candidates to get in to some organizations for internships, they have to apply to the respective organizations. The candidates will be asked questions on relating to their strengths and weaknesses. The students need to put in that extra effort to prove themselves.

The students only realize their potential in situations where they are needed to do practical assignments in an organization. Internships in a way help the candidates to realize whether they are actually in to their preferred domain. The candidates can make a career decision at that point of time. If the candidates successfully complete their internships, it will give them more confidence and boost their morale also.

There is a general perception among the employees that the candidates do not have any practical know how in the work area. To cope up with this problem, internships have been introduced. In many institutions, internships have become compulsory not only in professional courses but also on the other courses. The candidates will be given credit points in their graduation studies. When we look in specific terms the internships focus on building certain qualities such as leadership, communication, situation handling, problem solving etc. These qualities are enhanced through various mentoring and training programs during the course of study. Different skills are developed by providing the candidates with the case studies etc to effectively cope up with the changing situations and build in more qualities.

Prepare for an Internship!

The basic step begins with preparing for the internships with a specific goal. The candidates need to prepare a detailed resume. The resume should clearly demonstrate ones capacity to work in a specific area and learn new things. The candidates resume should stand out from any others in terms of the qualities and skills that the company looks for. The candidates should work in various industries to analyze what suits you the best. The candidates should show their ability to work according to the needs of the organization.

The candidates should themselves conduct mock interviews and prepare in advance regarding the areas where they need to work in. The candidates should be specific and clear towards their career goal. The students can themselves do a primary research on the companies where they wish to do their internships and area in which their skills can be effectively employed in. If possible career workshops can be attended by them for becoming more specific in their goals. Most of the employers check how the candidates relatively fit in to the work culture of an organization. Hence adequate efforts must be done from the part of the individuals to contact with their friends and other people who have a certain kind of knowledge in this area.

Internship provides a significant and precious opportunity to get familiar with the realities or practical challenges involved while working in an organization.