An internship is a short-term work experience offered by companies and other organizations for people (usually students, but not always) to get some entry-level exposure to a particular industry or field. It is as much of a learning experience as it is work. Ideally, interns spend their time working on relevant projects, learning about the field, making industry connections, and developing both hard and soft skills. Internships sometimes even lead to full-time job offers.

While you gain insight into a certain department or role, it might be that you spend time working with colleagues in other roles. Internships provide so many opportunities that you should approach them with enthusiasm and use the internship as an opportunity to showcase your skills. Your boss may be so impressed that they offer you a permanent position. If you find yourself at a loose end, temping can act as a bridge between your internship and your next job role. You can take on different roles to fit in with your life and commitments while continuing to develop your CV and giving you more time to explore your options.

Although your career interests and your workplace skills might not be that developed as a freshman, a freshman-year internship can be a good place to start weeding out potential major choices and career paths. Even a part-time internship at this stage will help you develop basic workplace skills like managing time, taking initiative and communicating professionally. As a freshman, you also haven’t had a chance to take the upper-division courses in your major that can provide you with stronger qualifications and knowledge as you head into an internship. As a result, you might get meatier projects as a junior or senior. You are also more likely to receive an offer for permanent employment with the organization, the closer you are to graduation.

• Start planning early: many college students miss out on an internship because they simply wait too long.
• Get your materials ready: you’d spend some time making sure that your resume is up to date and appears professional. You should put this same type of effort into looking for an internship.
• Know where to look: It’s always a good idea to ask your friends and family if they know of any internship opportunities you may be a good fit for, and you can also check out the job listings on sites like Indeed or Glassdoor. 
• Reach out directly to these companies: Once you find a contact, you can email that individual asking about internship opportunities. However, it’s important to make your case for why they should take a chance on you. Let them know what you admire about their company and how you think you can help.
• Prepare for interviews: these interviews will be conducted over the phone. If you are attending a video meeting, make sure you dress the part and look professional. Don’t interrupt and make sure to maintain eye contact with the person who’s interviewing you. Be sure to answer all of their questions as succinctly as possible. And a good way to stand out during all of your interviews is to have a few questions prepared to ask your interviewer.
• Follow up on all opportunities: If you haven’t heard anything about two weeks after your interview, follow up with that individual. Mention your name and your application and thank them for the opportunity.

First, some good news: The majority of internships offer some form of compensation, whether it’s an hourly wage, academic credit, or stipends to help cover living costs. Depending on the position, interns may or may not be paid. Unpaid internships are common. For an internship to qualify as unpaid both the employer and intern must agree upfront that the internship will be unpaid. That said, part of employers do pay their interns. Some companies recognize there is value in training someone who could become an employee after they graduate college.

That depends on the industry in question and the kind of internship you’ve signed up for. Here’s a general overview of the work you can expect to do as an intern:

• Assist and contribute to the team: At the beginning of your internship, you may your time simply trying to learn how the company works.
• Learn and gain experience: During the Internship, you will learn to pick up hard skills, which are the technical skills you need to carry out your intern responsibilities. And also to brush up on your soft skills, as critical as the hard skills.
• Job shadow: As the name suggests, the practice involves “shadowing” someone as they perform their daily duties, observing their activities, and learning what the role entails via indirect experience.
• Take on an increasing amount of responsibility: As time goes by, expect to shoulder an increasing amount of responsibility. Initially, they’ll gauge your current skill set and reliability with your initial workload.
• Network: Networking involves building relationships with your bosses, colleagues, customers and clients. You’ll need the backing and support of people in places to build a successful career.
• Make a career call: Eventually, you have to make a career-defining decision: continue in the field you interned in or try your hand at something else entirely.

During the academic year, internships are typically part-time, between 10-20 hours a week; not to exceed 20 hours a week (September-May). Summer internships, or those during a semester in which the student is not enrolled in courses, can require up to 40 hours a week.

There is no age limit to do an internship. you should start internships from high school, but it is very effective in college as employers like their fresh employees to have a minimum of 1–3 years of work experience to back up their academic experience. Some companies may have an age minimum for internships due to labour laws and job requirements. In other cases, employers may request candidates who are currently enrolled in an educational program, such as an undergraduate degree. No matter your age, an internship can allow you to develop new skills, which can help you advance your career.

Companies and organizations will most likely take between 10-15 days to respond to your internship application. This is usually the time frame where applications are ranked as being good and as being bad. The best applications will be shortlisted for an interview, and if you have not been contacted after this amount of time then perhaps take the assumption that you have not been successful this time.

That as well depends on the industry in which you will have graduated or qualified and the kind of internship you’ve signed up for. The top 5 most requested fields are:

1. Business operations: Project management, business administration, scheduling, customer service, economics
2. Marketing: Social media, marketing, Adobe Photoshop, Facebook, market research
3. Engineering: Electrical engineering, computer engineering, AutoCAD, mechanical engineering, project management
4. Sales and business development: Sales, business development, marketing, customer service, project management
5. Data analytics: Data analysis, data collection, market research, mathematics, project management

An internship is a job training program usually completed within 10 to 12 weeks or during an academic semester. However, their duration varies from a few weeks to an entire year. Internships are more common among high school or college students and other entry-level professionals. The one condition of internships is that they can’t be permanent and everlasting. Additionally, internships can be part-time or full-time. Interns are usually graduates or undergraduates, and the work hours are flexible.

Whether or not an internship counts as employment can be a matter of semantics or law. In the former case, you will often be able to say you were employed as an intern by the company you worked for and put the job stint on your resume. In the latter case, employers must follow all laws concerning the use of interns. It doesn’t matter if the internship you performed was paid, unpaid, or for college credits. Experience is experience, and the skills you learned and the exposure you gained to your employer’s industry during your college internship are worth touting on your post-college resume.

First of all, to go from intern to employee, you’ll need to do more than just deliver great performance. Unlike the advice you’ve been getting, this is what you need to parlay your internship into a full-time job

• Make your intentions clear: Sit down with your supervisor when the internship starts and clearly articulate your goals, also meet with a representative in human resources to express your intent to get hired.
• Solicit feedback from your boss: Many managers are uncomfortable providing feedback to interns. But you’ll need input from your manager to improve your skills and prove you’re worth hiring.
• Step outside your department: Don’t limit your interactions to only your direct supervisor and immediate peers. Meet other hiring managers by requesting informational interviews, you’ll gain institutional knowledge, gain visibility, and begin building meaningful relationships.
• Establish your reputation: Once you’ve established a track record of delivering excellent work, ask if you can accompany your boss to an executive meeting. Then, when you run into people in the hallway or at the water cooler, initiate conversation.
• Find your advocates: Even if your internship has a formal mentoring component, you should develop relationships with several advisors throughout the company
• Highlight your experience: A strong resume is the first step to a successful job search, so it’s important to communicate your skills and experience in a professional, yet simple manner. It’s a quick and easy way to pitch yourself to potential employers.