Make that chip work!
You may be working hard studying to get a degree, you may have proven your smarts, but do you know what it’s like to work in a real IT position? Hiring managers will get plenty of applicants with the same qualifications as you. The key to getting an IT job is to get some hands-on experience with an IT internship.
Many major companies, such as the Vanguard Group, will take on small groups of interns to show them the ropes. These internship duties do not require grunt work like getting food and coffee. From day one you will get hands on experience. The senior HR manager Dawn Lindberg says, “Our internship program is highly structured. The group comes in as a class. They work together, network together, and present a class project in addition to their other assignments – programming, hardware, Web services or another technical area – from their supervisors. We involve students in the actual day-to-day duties of their department.”
The interviewing process is much like interviewing for a job. It’s yet another benefit to exploring internships — you’re getting practice with the procedures you’ll want to be comfortable with by the time you’re job-hunting.
Specifically for an IT internship, answer questions honestly. If you cannot answer technical questions that you have already claimed to have known, why would the hiring manager want to consider you? If you are up front about the skills you possess, companies know that you are looking to be an intern and know you will learn more through this experience. An awareness of what you know and recognizing what you don’t is good at this stage. Internships are meant to learning experiences, so don’t feel like you need to speak in 1′s and 0′s.
Be sure to show that you are eager to learn, because technology never stops changing. Programming languages some and go, so try to keep an open mind and avoid getting bogged down in learning just systems, or just networking, or just C+, PHP, MySQL, Ruby, etc. An internship is about dipping your toe in the water, not diving head-over-heels into a super-niche skill set.
One of the best things you can do, not only as a student but for the rest of your career, is contribute to open-source projects to hone your skills and add to your resume. Check out SourceForge for a list of open-source projects you can contribute to.
Interested In Going Abroad? Make It Happen With An Internship!
Physical therapy intern in Thailand
Do you love to travel? Do you need an excuse to jet around the world? Are you having a hard time fitting a semester abroad into your budget? Maybe you should consider an internship abroad. Interning abroad is an opportunity for you to gain the same experience study abroad has to offer, except you’re getting real experience.
Studying abroad can be very costly, sometimes even exceeding the amount of your tuition. However, pretty much all of the students that have come back said it was the best experience of their life.
An internship abroad is very similar to a study abroad program in that it provides a way for you gain cultural understanding of your host city while also gaining real work experience. Not to mention the price difference is quite favorable. Whether the internship is paid or you’re able to get financial help from your school, it’s a more cost-effective way to spend time overseas than taking classes.
Beware of internship placement companies that expect you to fork over thousands of dollars just for being placed in an overseas internship (never mind living expenses…).
The logistics for interning abroad are almost the same as a study program because many internships you find abroad are part of an intern program. They assist you with the whole “going abroad” process. Many of the programs include internship placement and supervision, housing, meal plans (occasionally), financial aid counseling, and sometimes language training. Instead of getting credits that may not transfer, you get this loaded experience to put on your resume! Think about it….