Internship provides opportunity to learn about work

Internships are often the first time students are exposed to the real job world and no matter what type of position it is, it can be an excellent opportunity to learn about work.

Be wary of unpaid internships. Wary because there is more likelihood you will be taken advantage of in terms of long hours and unusual job requests. You will be accorded more respect if you are on the payroll, just like the person you are working for, no matter how small the salary.

Accept the internship only after you fully explore what is expected of you, and you agree to it. Ask for a letter that describes your duties. Most employers will already have such a document to hand to you. Know who in authority you can reach out to if you have an on-the-job problem -- someone other than your immediate supervisor.

The internship can be a great learning experience that can influence a student's future job and career path decisions.

Internships can be obtained in many different areas, including internships with corporations, the government, a family business, the company of a family friend or even offering your services to a company at which you would like to work. Executives may create an internship if they are impressed by an individual who takes initiative and wants to work hard and learn about business.

Once the internship is obtained, learn as much as you possibly can. It does not matter if it is a government agency or a construction company; you can gain invaluable experience -- what it is like to work day in and day out -- and perhaps even uncover a hidden skill or learn what job you may have an aptitude for.

To learn as much as possible, however, you have to take the internship seriously. Consider the employer as a potential full-time employer. If you do an outstanding job, the internship employer could be a good reference for future jobs.

The internship goes by quickly and it would be easy not to have learned about other parts of the organization. After being on the job for a few weeks, see if you can spend a little time observing other areas.

You have to be useful to the organization and to the person who hired you but you might be able to create your own pseudo-training program where you can learn a little about the different departments.

Ask your boss if he/she knows other areas of the organization where your services could be used on a short-term basis, such as a couple of hours or half a day. Be sure to get the approval of your boss first before pursuing activities outside the area for which you were hired.

Your boss can be a tremendous asset to you as a reference for your next job so you do not want to do anything to jeopardize your relationship.

Another idea to help make the most of your internship is to ask to sit in on meetings that you would not normally be invited to. You can learn a lot by observing how people handle themselves in certain settings. You can tell your boss that you would not contribute to the meeting but would like very much to see and hear what is being discussed and how the meeting is conducted.

Ask your boss if he/she is planning to give you a performance appraisal before you leave the job. If not, ask him/her to give you one. It is helpful to learn what other people think of your work and what areas you can improve. You will leave a good impression on your boss that you care enough to ask how you did and what you can do to improve.

Another way to maximize your internship experience is to earn college credit while working. Prior to beginning the job, work with a professor to set up a work/study program in which you can write a paper and/or give a speech on your work experience and receive credit toward graduation.

Once the paper is completed, send it to your boss, the head of the organization and other people with whom you may have developed a relationship. They will be impressed by your dedication and commitment to your job.

You may also want to write a separate analysis of your experience just for your boss. Outline what you gained from the experience and how it could be improved for future interns. Your boss will appreciate it if you tell him/her how the organization can gain more productivity from its internship program.

Taking this kind of initiative shows a real maturity and understanding of business that can only help to ingratiate you with your boss.

John A. Challenger is chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., the global outplacement consultancy that pioneered outplacement as an employer-paid benefit in the 1960s. Challenger is a recognized thought leader on workplace, labor, and economic issues.