It is that season again! The end of the semester is approaching and bringing with it our most dreaded internships. Try to calm down. We will go over some benefits that this experience brings and, hopefully, by the end of this article, you might even be looking forward to starting one as early as possible.
#1. An internship makes you grasp any new concept much faster than in a classroom setting
As cliché as it may seem, you will only learn a new concept properly if you get your hands “dirty.” I, for example, stayed a full month observing how to open up a bank account, and believe it or not, my mind would be somewhere else by the time we had reached only half of the procedure. Nevertheless, when asked to open two new bank accounts for my brothers, I ended up learning all the steps in the blink of an eye.
#2. It helps you figure out your likes and dislikes
As strange as it may seem, not liking an internship experience can be extremely beneficial. This is because chances are that if you did not like it then you will know that you won’t like that kind of job nor be happy to follow this career path in the future. Being able, as an intern, to figure out what you don’t like can be a true blessing.
#3. It adds value to your resume
Most people can confirm the Lebanese maxim when searching for a job: “One needs experience for the job and a job for experience.” What better way is there to solve this dilemma than doing an internship? That being said, you don’t need to get stuck in that dead-end. The internship will give you the experience of a full-time job and will put you in advantage once the job search gets serious.
#4. Networking
Not only will you be able to build lasting relationships with the employees, but also with the company’s clients thus building your PR chain. This is especially true if you have targets and tasks to meet. I was required to get two new customers for the bank where I was doing my internship at, and most of the clients I met tried to help by connecting me to people they knew and that were not clients. I was even offered a job by one of the customers!
#5. Time Management
Being in a formal work environment makes you realize how every minute counts, giving a great boost on your time management skills. Time management will be essential for every task you will need to perform at work later on, whether it is completing a certain number of daily phone calls, getting your tasks covered, making appointments, and so forth.
#6. It makes the adaptation to the workplace much faster and painless
Can you imagine how tough it is for some fresh graduates to have to move directly from university to a full-time job environment? We know it is hard to put all the skills learned in college into use all of a sudden. Doing an internship is an excellent way to transition from college to work. After all, your internship supervisor will definitely be more tolerant of your mistakes than your boss would.
#7. It showcases all the skills you will need for that particular job
Even though most of the universities in Lebanon are very well ranked, and have strong teaching systems, they often fail to fully prepare you for the job market. This is not because they don’t teach you properly, but because your professors will pass down to you the general and theoretical skills you need and not the practical and specific skills each job requires.
#8. It builds your confidence
An internship will probably be your first experience in a corporate work environment, bringing along a variety of tasks. Learning to complete all that is expected from you will build the confidence you need in order to thrive in the workplace.
#9. It increases the likelihood of a higher entry salary
One can always infer that if the company is in a good economic situation, a prospective employee with a previous internship will definitely be better paid in comparison to a prospective employee with no work experience.
#10. It might improve your academic performance
Lastly, if you are doing your internship during the time in-between two academic years, or directly before starting your MBA, the practical field observations you had will be an added value to your classroom experience, thus improving your academic performance.
