by E.M.Robinson

Created on: June 30, 2008

Make the most of your internship experience.An internship can be an excellent way to learn skills and make needed contacts to further your chosen career. Make the most of your internship and build your career and set yourself up for future opportunities.

The prospect of working in the dazzle and excitement of media and entertainment should not blind you to the important criteria to look for in selecting an internship.

To make the most of an internship, you will want to:

1) Engage in hands-on experience in your chosen area of the field.
Although being a runner to get things the professionals need may be very helpful and you may see a great deal, you will want your internship to give you direct job experiences.

2) Gain a competitive advantage while having fun.
Always bear in mind that you want internship experiences that you can add to your resume and put you ahead of other future job applicants.

3) Intern in a specialty area that offers a favorable employment outlook.
Look at a wide variety of opportunities and focus on ones that lead to fields with a good chance of secure employment later on.

4) Be mentored by top media and entertainment professionals.
Identify internship opportunities that put you in close proximity with a mentor or contacts that will potentially be long-term relationships over the years to come.

5) Have numerous opportunities to make a difference in your interning area.
Look for internships with variety and that are meaningful.

6) Interact, or network, with a community of professionals as well as peers.
Think of how much better your experience can be if there are other interns working there.

7) Discover pathways to full-time employment or further education and training.
Consider what other doors may open to you from the internship experience.

8) Develop relevant, marketable skills.
Choose an internship that will enable you to acquire or hone specific, quantifiable skills.

9) Be open to crossing over into allied careers within the industry.
Look at internships that are broad enough to allow you access to other related fields.

10) Be clear-headed so that you can avoid internship scams that do not have your best interest in mind.
Investigate the track-record of any individual, organization, or business that offers internships.

You will need an internship that is offered by a business or organization that clearly outlines the nature and term of the internship. Whether you land a paid, or unpaid, position, you will want to iron out all the details, so that you go into this experience without being in the dark on any aspect of the arrangement.

You will also need to know the name and position of the person to whom you will report. If a job description of your duties is available, you will want to familiarize yourself with it and ask questions about areas of uncertainty.

In locating an internship, professional associations can be excellent resources. Whatever your specialty area is, look for a professional association on the World Wide Web for that field.

Be sure to think about your reasons or objectives in seeking an internship and then make sure that the internship opportunities you consider are a good match for those objectives you have outlined. Have fun with your internship and be smart about it, too.

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