The first thing to understand is that your internship is a stepping stone to something greater: a career. In many ways, the question “what should I do for an internship?” should be preceded by the question “what should I do for a career?” It is certainly helpful to consider some career possibilities first, and work backwards to determine what type of internship would give you relevant experience.
Your ideal career can be determined through a variety of online assessments or mentoring conversations, all of which you can set up through the Office of Career Services. Any career or internship should be chosen by considering:
- Your top skills or most admirable qualities
- Topic(s) that capture your interest
- Professional goals
- Work context desired (strict or flexible working hours, work on a team or independently, work in an office or from home, evolving work environment or work where things stay the same, etc.)
One final note: even though the internship is an opportunity to test a career, it does not mean that one should choose a career or internship just to “try it out.” In order to honestly evaluate a career or internship, you have to give it your all–and that includes diligently researching, finding, and selecting opportunities..