Do internships help you get a job? Of course. The career benefits of doing internships are innumerable. From your CV to your skillset to your outlook on work, doing an internship can be a formative experience that definitely helps you get jobs.
However, do you need an internship to get a job? Honestly, no. You can get a job without an internship. The difference is that you can get much better jobs with internships. More fulfilling jobs in industries you love, with companies whose values align with your own.
So, a much better question to ask is, ‘Do you need an internship to get a job you really love?’. To which the answer is yes.
In this blog, you’ll find how doing an internship can help you get a job you love and boost your career altogether, plus some extra benefits of nonprofit internships. We’ll also warn of the potential challenges of doing internships and answer a few commonly asked questions about them.
Ways an Internship Can Help you Get a Job
By Introducing You to The World of Work
Do internships help you get a job if you’ve never worked before? Obviously, they do.
For many, internships are their first steps into the world of work. This can be a fundamental stage in the development of workplace manners, strong work ethics, and confidence.
If you’re approaching the end of your education and are feeling nervous about entering the job market, doing an internship could be really worthwhile for you.
By Giving You The Chance to Explore Career Paths
One of the greatest career benefits of doing internships is that they allow you to explore an industry and gain an understanding of the roles and opportunities within it.
This is why careers with internships tend to provide more job mobility and, ultimately, satisfaction. With a better understanding of your chosen field and the career paths available, you will be able to make more informed career choices in the future.
By Substantiating Knowledge With Experience
A common issue faced by recent graduates is that they are highly knowledgeable but lack the experience required to apply for a lot of jobs. This can make it incredibly difficult to find a job without an internship.
In some industries, it’s necessary to even get your foot in the door. If you’re an aspiring medic, lawyer, scientific researcher, or conservationist, the answer to the question, ‘Do you need an internship to get a job?’, is yes.
By Equipping you with Career Skills
How do internships help you get a job? Professional skill-building. This is why you can get better jobs with internships on your resume. Employers will know that you have skills to bring to the table.
As an intern, you’ll benefit from role-specific training and mentorship from experienced industry professionals. More than this, you’ll have a chance to practice these skills in a real-world environment.
By Building Your Soft Skills
Here’s one of the most undervalued career benefits of doing internships. The opportunity to build soft skills, especially early on in your career, can be instrumental to success.
Internships and the industry experience they provide improve an intern’s ability to learn new tasks, manage time, communicate effectively, be a team player, and work independently. These are crucial skills that will benefit you throughout your career and the rest of your life.
An added bonus of a nonprofit internship is that you will be exposed to unique challenges and obstacles in nonprofit work. So, your resilience, enterprise, and capacity for positive thinking will improve too.
By Connecting You With Network Contacts
A strong professional network is the cornerstone of a successful career.
Doing an internship is a fantastic way to get yourself in the room with industry professionals and start introducing yourself. It may seem daunting, but every contact you make could be a future mentor, colleague, or employer.
Yes, the networking benefits of doing internships are fantastic, and even more so if you opt for an internship abroad. This is one of the key factors to consider when picking the best places for NGO internships.
By Boosting Your CV
This is one of the main reasons why we think the answer to the question, ‘Do you need an internship to get a job you love?’, is yes. When applying for a competitive job, an internship can be a fantastic way to make your CV stand out from the pile.
One of the top bonus career benefits of doing internships with nonprofits is that they look great on a CV. To an employer, a non profit internship on a CV communicates global awareness, social consciousness, and a belief in your ability to make a difference in the world.
How do internships help you get a job? By making your CV shine! So, be sure you have a good idea of how to put an internship on your resume.
By Helping You Discover Your Passion
Doing an internship will introduce an intern to unknown career paths, new ways of thinking, and opportunities they never imagined.
This can often lead to shifts in perspective, a realignment of values, or even the discovery of a deep-felt interest or passion in one’s self. This often has a profound effect on shaping interns’ future careers.
This is one of the top reasons why do a nonprofit internship. Nonprofit internships don’t only expose you to industries and professions; they engage you with worthwhile causes where your career could make a positive impact in the world.
Potential Challenges of Doing an Internship
- Lack of awareness: The main reason people skip getting a job without an internship first is because they aren’t aware of the career benefits of doing internships, how to get one, or how internships help you get a job. So, by just reading this blog, you’re a step ahead
- Competitive selection processes. A lot of internships have rigorous application processes, and this puts many off. For those willing to look, there is an abundance of choice out there, especially when you consider non-profit internships and even non-profit internships abroad
- Financial commitments: often, internships offer meager rates of pay and sometimes none at all; this is common for nonprofit internships. For those with financial commitments, doing an internship without pay may not be an option.
- Time restraints: internships require a lot of time, focus, and work. While there are part-time and remote options with flexible work schedules, time restraints often stop people from doing internships
Internship FAQs
How Much Will Doing an Internship Cost?
As we mentioned, the financial aspects can be one of the main challenges of doing an internship. It’s reasonable to ask if you need an internship to get a job when you consider the cost.
While some internships offer stipends or compensation, others may not. It is particularly rare to find paid nonprofit internships. So, when calculating the cost of an internship, you’ll have to factor in things like accommodation, cost of living, and transport.
However, consider how you’ll likely get higher-paid jobs with internships; it’s a worthy investment. Our advice is to investigate part-time or remote internships, which can be balanced around another job.
Can I Get a Job Without an Internship?
Do you need an internship to get a job? No. You can get a job without an internship. In fact, there are some career paths where it’s probably advisable to look for apprenticeships or actual employment.
It is possible to get a job without doing an internship, but doing internships will let you enter the job market with a better idea of what you’re looking for. It will help your CV stand out from the pile of applications. It will also equip you with skills and experience to bring to the table.
What’s more is competing against applicants who are doing internships. In this way, careers with internships are just a little easier, and you will likely have access to better jobs with internships on your resume.
This is why doing internships, especially nonprofit internships abroad, can boost your career.
Do Interns Work With the Same Company After Doing Internships?
Do internships help you get a job with the same company? Occasionally, this happens, but it’s not something to bank on.
Companies sometimes use internships as a pipeline for recruiting top talent, so performing well as an intern can lead to job offers. What’s more likely is that a contact made while networking will lead to employment.
Even if you don’t land a permanent position with the same company, the experience gained from doing an internship will inevitably open doors to opportunities elsewhere.
Can I Pursue Different Careers With Internships?
Absolutely! Internships offer a chance to explore various career paths and industries, allowing you to gain insight into what interests you most.
Whether you’re undecided about your career direction or want to switch industries, internships provide valuable exposure and experience that can help you make informed decisions. Plus, the transferable skills acquired through internships can be applied across different career paths, so no experience is wasted.
