3 Things to Consider When Choosing an Internship

Having an internship can let you become further exposed to skills you learned and apply them within a work place setting.  Just like people, every internship is unique. Deciding what internship is right for you can be a unique experience.

I had two internships and each was a different experience, although they each helped me to expand upon my professional skills.  I did my internships during my last semester of college and while I was a recent graduate. Comparing the two, I found three different things that you might not think about but should consider when applying for an internship.

Dress Code: Casual vs Professional:

When choosing an internship, it’s smart to be aware of what the dress code requirements are and why they are expected.  My first internship, within a formal office setting for a commercial real estate company, required a professional business dress code. As someone who is used to wearing jeans seven days a week, this was definitely an adjustment. I had to buy a few new pieces of clothing, but this changed my perception of ways professionalism can be defined through clothing.

At my second internship at a family fun and bowling center, I was allowed to wear casual clothes.  As a recent college grad with an entry level budget, having a casual dress code was super helpful. I didn’t have to worry about changing my current wardrobe.

Setting: Corporate vs Non Corporate

Pay attention to the work environment to find an internship that is a good fit.

Corporate environments tend to be more conservative with their work settings. Typically, everyone is assigned their own desk or cubicle and you are expected to work individually on tasks. A few companies are trying an open work environment which tends to have more work spaces without cubicles and there are more options available to have open collaboration with coworkers. If you are more of an introvert or someone who enjoys working independently you might thrive better within a corporate internship environment.

If you are more social and like doing collaborative tasks with coworkers, you might enjoy working at a non corporate internship environment. You might be more comfortable in the more casual atmosphere.

Part of doing an internship is learning to adapt to change and to get out of your comfort zone, so both corporate and non corporate internship experiences are helpful to have.

Mentorship:  Relaxed vs Guided

Building a mentor relationship is one of the main reasons I have enjoyed doing my two internships.  At each of my internships I have had to learn to adapt to different working settings as well as different mentoring styles. I was fortunate enough to deal with both guided and relaxed mentoring styles.

At the real estate company, I had a mentor with a relaxed mentoring style. This mentor was busy with other work responsibilities but also mentored me. I was assigned tasks to complete on my own with little intervention. This allowed me to gain independence as well as problem solving and critical thinking skills. Having the option to make independent choices in this relaxed mentorship setting made me more aware of my leadership skills.

At the family fun and bowling center my mentor had an open dialogue policy meaning I could ask others for help on tasks. This guidance from my second mentor helped me to gain more collaborative skills and to converge my ideas with the ideas of the other coworkers. This helped me to gain greater insight from coworkers who had differing perspectives. By having a collaborative and guided mentorship I gained more confidence when interning. I knew exactly what was expected of me and what skills I needed to advance.

Both ways of mentoring helped me to become adaptable in the work setting.

Do Your Research

In conclusion, when choosing an internship it’s good to take the time to research the specific position and how it will help you grow professionally. This can be done by looking at the internship’s dress code requirements, the type of setting the internship is in, as well as the style of mentorship you will be receiving during your time as an intern. By becoming aware of these factors you can make the most out of your internship experiences and learn to adapt from the classroom setting into the working world.

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About the Author

Morgan Raddatz resides in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and is a recent first generation college graduate from Alverno College. She graduated in December 2017 with honors in Communication with three minors in Spanish Language & Cultures, English, and Creative Studies in Writing.  Continuing to sample various career opportunities, she recently started working as a Retail Attendant for the Milwaukee Bucks.

Morgan is continuing her education in the fall at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. She will be furthering her knowledge of Spanish by double majoring in Spanish and in Latin American Caribbean US Latinx Studies with a certificate in Latin American and Caribbean studies.  Her ultimate career goal is to do social media marketing.

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