A good internship program can have outstanding benefits. Those accepted into such programs can learn a lot and may be presented with a number of beneficial opportunities. For this reason, if you are planning to apply for the most reputable internship programs, you should do your research and apply early. Expect a great deal of competition. Also, enhance your chances of making the best choice by using your school’s career office and comparing the internship position to your goals.
The internship program you are considering may reward you with experience, college credit, or money. It is best to find a program that provides all of these benefits. If you are enrolled in a program with the aim of using it as an alternative for certain curriculum requirements, make sure you check that the employer and the position being offered are acceptable before you begin working.
Choose an internship program that places you as close as possible to the path you are planning to pursue. For example, a laboratory may offer an internship to anyone who is a chemistry or forensic science major. However, both of these fields can be broad and the position offered may not directly involve the branches of these sciences that the applicants want to study. If you have time and options, try to avoid taking an internship for the sake of it.
Always apply for and accept offers for internship programs sponsored by potential employers. If one internship program offers a stipend, and another does not, but you plan to apply for a permanent position with the one that does not offer the stipend, show preference for that program. Do not allow insignificant factors to influence your decision when long-term benefits are at stake.
Former interns can be a great resource to help you determine which programs may benefit you most and which you should probably avoid. Every internship program is not suited for everyone, just as a single employer is not suitable for all workers. Therefore, you should take what other people say into consideration, but you should not base your decision wholly on this information.
Another good source of help for choosing the best internship program is your school. Generally, there is a job or career office which helps students with situations like this. It may provide you with more options than you knew were available. It is also possible that it may have agreements that allow its students to have preference over other applicants.
