After attending school for so many years, I most certainly want to work in my field of study. Of course that is no simple task. So, I’ve been thinking about what would be my next step since I will be graduating this year. From what I’ve learned both international and local companies want to hire someone who has experience working in the field, a seasoned professional, they are less prepared to hire a ‘newbie’ that will need training. So I feel the best way to get over this hump is to seek out internships in organizations that specialize in your field, in my case perhaps a Public Relations firm, however, I can also decide to intern in the corporate communications department of a company. I have been looking particularly at internships internationally lately i.e. Internships in England and the United States. You might wonder why I wouldn’t choose internships locally but there are very few in Trinidad and those few are also near impossible to get. As such, I have decided to broaden my scope from my original idea of a local internship. Of course, seeing that I have chosen to try finding an internship internationally it will need to be a paid internship so I can fund my stay in whatever country I end up going to if I’m successful.
My goal of course is to gain experience, from seasoned professionals, which no class could possibly teach. I generally, have a thirst to know anything and everything surrounding my field, not just academically, I also really want hands on experience in the communications, advertising and media world. So what better way to get a chance to learn more, than with an internship? In my search for a place to intern I decided to go big and chose some of the most reputable companies in media. Companies where I could be trained by a team of top professionals in the business that will give me the opportunity to gain a wealth of knowledge that would prove invaluable.
Internships are general a good way to develop a sound understanding of your field. I think anyone that’s about to finish university or has just completed it should try to get an internship so that they can get valuable experience and a chance to network with others in the same field. Soon, I will most certainly be applying to various companies in hopes of securing a life changing internship somewhere. So wish me luck.
Nikita
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Hi Nikita, I wish you blessings as you apply for internships. Unpaid internships are what helped me to choose the field of Public Relations…I was more geared toward journalism but experience in the PR World opened my mind. When I returned home in St. Kitts, I applied for an internship, paid, and I have been here ever since. No regrets – I do engage in journalism efforts still but my heart is in PR. I am also engaged in various community groups and I budget to attend workshops and sessions where I can meet other Public Relations professionals. Workshops and conference help as well. Internships give you exposure and give you a taste of what life is like in the field, and guess what, you may just land your dream job at the same country you intern at. They are indeed great stepping stones!
Hi Dentrecia,
Congratulations! I’m glad you found something you really enjoy doing. Perhaps I should also attend workshops and conferences, it sounds like a great way of networking.
Nikita
Good luck applying for your internships. As a second year student, I have found that partaking in short-term, unpaid internships alongside my studies has really enabled me to understand what it is that I want to do. It seems so important today to ‘know’ what you want to when it comes to an occupation and internships are a great stepping stone I agree, to get your foot in the door and help you decide on your path!