InternshipRatings.com

By Beth Settje
Internship Coordinator/Career Consultant
University of Connecticut

Growing up, parents often tell their children to “be yourself.” Though good advice, as many know, it’s often easier said than done. Truly understanding oneself often involves trial and error. Students in particular use their time in college as a place to reinvent themselves and to figure out their personal values.

Choosing a career path is definitely an extremely important decision in one’s life. Fortunately there are different opportunities where a student can experiment or try one an occupation for size, so to speak, before making a final decision. Interning is one such opportunity that students are strongly encouraged to pursue. In addition to thinking about the position and the content of the work in relation to one’s career path, he or she will have to consider both his/her individual values as well as the organization’s priorities to see if there is a good fit.

In selecting the values to consider for an internship, students will want to reflect upon where they are at that moment in life. For example, many people have family and financial security as top values, yet for an intern position, those may not be applicable. Working in different part of the country away from parents or siblings, or for a low or non-existent salary may be a reasonable choice at this time in life, compared to five to ten years in the future. This “give and take” approach is often an acceptable compromise at this point in life. There are other values that may be easier to apply which interning could include respect, integrity, and education, as these values are more intrinsic to one’s sense of self and less dependent on outside influences.

Regardless of how fantastic a position seems on paper, if it requires someone to act in a way that leads to compromise his/her values, then it is not a wonderful opportunity after all. Compromising one’s personal core values can create tension for the student and will not necessarily result in a slew of full-time job offers at the end of the internship. If the intern learns that the position is not what it first appeared to be, the student has to make some critical decisions. He/she may choose to stick it out and hope to acquire a really good reference. He/she may choose to leave quietly, explaining to a supervisor that he/she is not comfortable in the environment and would like to move on to a healthier workplace. Lastly, the intern may make a big fuss and pursue the situation until it is resolved. Regardless of the decision, every action has a consequence, so all decisions must be thoroughly contemplated.

To summarize, here are some tips:

1) Clearly identify key values of importance to you. You can type in “list of work values” in any search engine on the internet to see a variety of articles and lists. Once you have a list, rank the values to determine your top priorities for now and the future.

2) Think about what you want from the position, why you chose to apply, and what you anticipate the results being. Do your thoughts clearly reflect the company’s?

3) Decide with whom you are going to associate and how others’ behavior may impact your options. Is there anyone in the company you aspire to learn from in regards to your job search and career path? If no, you may want to question your purpose for working within the organization.

4) When you return to campus after the internship is complete, how will you apply the lessons you learned in the workplace to your academic and other campus commitments? What values will carry over to this other part of your life?

5) Talk to a career counselor at your school if you are evaluating these issues, now or when you return to campus. Very often, that individual can offer clarification and assistance for these and other related issues.