IT internship: types, choosing a suitable place, passing the selection
IT internships are essential for young professionals for several reasons. It helps to gain self-confidence, get used to the peculiarities of practical work, and acquire useful connections. Sometimes it’s a good opportunity to stay with the company and start a career.
Only some IT internships can bring benefits; in some places, newcomers are forced to work not at all according to their profile. In addition, when choosing options, you need to pay attention to other points: the availability of a mentor, a convenient work schedule, the opportunity to gain new knowledge, and the availability of wages.
The need for an IT internship for a young specialist
An employee’s internship is necessary to show his abilities and get acquainted with the nuances of the upcoming activity. It benefits both the employer and the employee. Passing an internship will allow the latter to acquire the necessary skills and provide other benefits.
- Become part of the community
During an internship in the workplace, you will be able to be part of a team that supports common ideas and performs similar functions. Among like-minded people, it will be easier for you to adapt to the chosen field.
- Gain self-confidence
You may be good at programming and be able to create your projects, but once you are inside the team, it will be easier to understand what ideas are in demand in the IT community.
- Stop being afraid of mistakes.
During an IT internship, you will understand that even qualified specialists can make mistakes, and there is nothing critical in this. On the contrary, a random flaw can give a good idea for a new project. Of course, this does not mean that you need to do your job poorly, but against the general background of successful activity, small shortcomings do not play a decisive role.
- Make useful connections
In the modern world, not only the professionalism of the employee but also his business contacts play an important role. It would be great if, during the internship, you get close to a competent employee who will become your mentor. Good relationships with colleagues will help you build your career even if it doesn’t.
Reasons why companies are looking for interns
It is always more difficult for someone without experience to find a vacancy than for an accomplished professional. Many companies are reluctant to hire interns because they require a lot of effort and time to train. But sometimes businesses need just such employees. In what situations does this happen?
If the company is understaffed
The largest IT enterprises that create their products occasionally conduct large-scale recruitment of specialists who need work experience. They rarely post such vacancies on well-known job search sites, so it is important to be at the right time in the right place.
During the recruitment period for new employees, companies invite many novice specialists in various fields for interviews. All applicants are invited to enter the competition. It may include interviews and test tasks that will help the employer to conclude the skills and abilities of the candidate. Based on the results of the competition, the enterprise selects the most promising specialists and offers them jobs.
If the company has the resources to train new employees
Some of the large out staffing companies are constantly ready to hire interns. Due to receiving a large volume of orders, they always have many vacancies for beginners. The main duties of such an employee will be the performance of routine duties.
If you want to do an internship in such a company, then it makes sense to look for a vacancy of interest on the company’s official website. It is important to bear in mind that the internship duration, in this case, is not regulated in any way. If you do not develop and improve your skills by moving on to more complex tasks, your career may be at one point for years.
Types of IT internships
Offline internship
The most optimal option from a psychological point of view. During the internship program, a novice specialist will feel comfortable being among professionals who can talk about the nuances of work and correct mistakes. In addition, as mentioned above, being among like-minded people will allow you to understand better the specifics of working in the IT community.
It is easier to learn and develop with direct contact with a leader who competently sets tasks and directs an employee. Motivation grows when one sees colleagues who have already achieved much in their chosen field.
Online internship
IT internship remotely can be conducted from absolutely anywhere in the world. Various methods are used for its implementation, which is selected according to the company’s specifics. Often practiced is such an option as pair programming.
At the same time, the computers of the student and the mentor are interconnected. One day, the teacher demonstrates how to do the task, and the trainee observes his actions. The next day, the student tries to do the assigned work independently, and the mentor monitors what he is doing and directs him if necessary.
Mixed format
Some enterprises choose a combined option for organizing internships. At the same time, you spend part of the time in the company’s office and part – in a place convenient for you, undergoing training using a computer. This format is very convenient for those who, for some personal reasons, need help to agree to full-fledged work offline.
Internship Selection Tips
Preparing for an internship interview should be as thorough as preparing for a full-time job. You do not need to include work experience unrelated to your specialty on your resume. If you, for example, position yourself as a programmer, do not write that you used to work as a salesperson.
Compile a portfolio listing all the projects you have ever done in the area of interest. Consider even the most insignificant at first glance: experience as a freelancer, attempts to program a mobile application, creating a website. All these little things will add extra touches to your resume and impress the employer, if only because he will see a person in front of him who is interested in the job.
At the interview, it is important to show yourself in a favorable light and indicate that you want to become an employee of this particular company.
Remember that you need to think over the answers to the questions in advance and compose your own. They should relate to work in the company. For example:
- How is the internship structured?
- What does the organization expect from the work of an intern?
- What results need to be achieved to get a permanent position in the company?
- What tasks will be set during the internship, and what will be the evaluation criteria?
All of these questions will help you create a positive impression with your employer. In addition, you will have a clear idea of what the company expects from you and how you can become a permanent employee.
Some features of the internship process
Typically, the duration of an internship is at most three months. The issue of the schedule is usually resolved with the employer. This can be either a full-time work week or shift work, or a part-time option.
Internship programs do not guarantee an employee a permanent job. Rather, they aim to acquaint the applicant with the specifics of the profession and teach him skills that will be useful in future work. The main advantage of an internship is that the specialist receives the necessary training for employment and can try to get a job in other companies as a person with work experience.
Another scenario is also possible. If an employee shows himself on the good side and he manages to grow into a competent specialist during the training, then the organization can offer him a permanent position. The probability that a responsible and competent employee will be invited to stay in the company is quite high.
Checklist for the perfect internship
Many such companies on the market offer IT internships for students and people without experience, but at the same time, they make them work almost around the clock. There are also options where you can get to the programmer job only after going through several stages in the form of lower positions, for example, a call center employee or a courier.
For novice specialists to understand how to distinguish such companies from promising organizations and for employers to take into account the disadvantages of their offers, we offer a checklist of an ideal internship.
An internship is a separate type of employment.
Of course, every company tries to get the maximum return from any specialist. This also applies to interns. But keep in mind that the internship is a separate type of employment. It is necessary to provide students with the following conditions: the presence of a mentor, clear terms and an internship plan, and the designation of the company’s goals and its expectations from cooperation.
Companies must consider that if they accept students for internships, such employees must provide a convenient schedule and leave for the session during the required period.
The internship is part of the education.
Even if the trainee has already graduated from the university, he still needs to gain experience in the chosen specialty. Preference is given to employees interested in development in this area and can adapt quickly to changing conditions.
Companies need to customize the internship process in such a way that it gives the maximum effect. It is necessary to select competent curators and indicate the duties a newcomer must perform and the skills he must acquire. It is important to announce all the conditions to the future employee in advance so that he understands what the employer expects from him.
Internship integrated into HR.
It is difficult for companies to work with interns because employers understand that once a person feels that he has improved his qualifications and acquired the necessary skills, he will leave for a more interesting place. Therefore, the main task of the enterprise is to organize the work in such a way that the employee speaks positively about the company and recommends it to his friends.
An internship is not training for a specific task.
The most important task of the internship is to identify a person’s strengths. Even if he came to an internship as a programmer and later realized that he could realize himself more fully as a designer, this is considered a success. He will continue to work in the chosen area in a different direction.
The internship must be paid.
To preserve the honest name of the company and create a positive impression on society, you need to pay for an internship, at least the minimum amount. This will support the new employee and allow him to get an idea of the material value of his work.
