Internship Grail: Things to keep in mind before you get started

In today’s article, we have captured some of the most crucial to-dos when applying for an internship. We hope these points help you understand the essence of internships and build better experiences for yourself.

With India making a paradigm shift towards competency-based learnings, internship opportunities are set to grow. Since there is going to be a wide pool of opportunities to choose from, you need to have a clear vision about where your interests lie and what your purpose is. We strongly believe that on-the-job learning takes you much further in your journey rather than brand names. So apply wisely and read about the scope and learnings of the role rather than just the company.

Apart from your resume, a cover letter that goes deeper into the application questions is a crucial part of your first impression on the hiring manager. Most of the applications are rejected at this stage. Period. You might bring a plethora of skills and experience under your belt and quoting all of it still may not land you that internship. The catch here is to do in-depth research on the overall work of the organization, the requirements of the role and then doing an analysis of how that aligns with your past experiences and future goals. When done diligently, this ensures your application to be relevant and in line with the ask of the internship. Spelling mistakes and wrong English since you were writing in a big hurry are an absolute No-No.

It is necessary to not only sound confident but feel confident during the interview process, which follows only once you have done the homework right. While it is suggested to keep answers to standard questions ready, it is equally important to keep an open mind and listen very carefully to the interviewer. Once you understand the rationale behind what is being asked, you can keep your answers crisp and relevant. Keeping an open mind will also help you have a conversation rather than a robotic dialogue. Listen before you answer.

Once you have landed your desired internship, it’s showtime. It does not mean going over the roof and draining yourself, but to take the reins of your learning curve into your own hands. One can choose to just deliver what’s being asked or along with that, also stay curious, ask questions and seek time-to-time feedback.

Interns by virtue are taken to infuse fresh blood in organisations, given the scope to err is certainly more than full-time employees, this is your chance to be proactive and contribute in any way possible. Interns who have an open mind and are passionate about their job have a greater shot at making it full-time than those who are only looking at a 2-month stint for the sake of resumes.