The Professional War Between Internships and Work Experience
Internships and work experience
are just two of the terms that you might hear when talking about
gaining experience in the workplace. While they might sound the same,
you’ll want to make sure that you have a firm understanding of the two
before you apply to either one so that you’ll know just what you’re
getting yourself into.
Length
The first important distinction is that work experiences will usually
only last for two weeks or so. With an internship, you’ll more than
likely work for more than a month. As a matter of fact, an internship
could quite possibly last you as much as a full year.
Age
With work experiences, you might have to be 18 or older and
currently enrolled in school or college. Depending on your major, you may be
required to complete work experience in order to have a solid chance of
breaking into your industry. Work experiences are truly valuable in this
day and age where you need solid experience in order to qualify for
jobs.
With an internship, you might be able to find one once you’ve
completed your degree program and are ready to get started on your
chosen career. With some degree programs, students might have to find
their own internships.
Payment
While everyone would like to get paid for their internship, there
might be times where you have to accept an unpaid internship or two
before you can qualify for paid positions. You might want to look into
at least getting your travel and lunch expenses taken care of should you
choose to accept an unpaid internship so that the financial burden
won’t be too hard on you. In any case, it’s always best to check and
verify what is and isn’t paid for with any internship that you’re
considering.
What You’ll Be Doing
Since work experiences don’t last for a very long time, it’s doubtful
that you’ll have very much responsibility while you’re there. You might
find yourself helping out your colleagues, getting coffee, and getting
an overall feel of the day-to-day goings on of the business. While this
might seem a bit like a waste of time, this type of work experience is
actually a great way to make contacts and learn about future paid job
opportunities.
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| Internships and Work Experience |
Since internships last longer, you’ll have greater tasks as well as
greater independence. There’s also a better chance that you’ll learn new
skills and that you’ll be able to make a better impression on your
employer, which can help you to earn a full-time position once your
internship has come to a close.
Whether you choose a work experience or an internship, try to stay as
long as possible so that the people who work there will get to know you
better and so that you can get to know them better. Something else to
consider is the idea that the longer you’re there the more
responsibility that you might be trusted with, which can seriously help
when trying to show them what you can really do.
If you’re trying to decide between work experience and an internship,
it can never hurt to do both if at all possible. While you might learn
more about an internship, there’s still the fact that you can make some
valuable connections through a work experience.
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