How do you make a success of your internship?

A successful work placement is undoubtedly beneficial for the student. They can move more quickly into a career by making a good impression on the host company. They can also acquire enhanced skills in areas not necessarily taught as part of their training. In all cases, it is essential to know how to make a success of your work placement.

Contents

In a nutshell:

A successful internship:

Depends mainly on the student’s efforts, but also on the host institution.
Can make a major contribution to creating and/or expanding your professional network.
Allows you to learn and acquire additional knowledge and skills.
Increases your chances of being hired now or in the future.
Helps to enhance the credibility of the school with which you are training.

Opportunities

Why is it so important to get the most out of your internship?

There are many advantages to a successful internship. Students’ first objective is generally to make a good impression so that they have a chance of being taken on at the end of the placement or in the near future. But it is also important in many other ways, including the following:

Direct your efforts towards new professional and personal goals, or to reinforce old ones;
Highlight many personal qualities and weaknesses;
To confirm and/or enhance the credibility of the establishment from which the student has trained;
Acquire additional professional experience and skills;
Create and/or expand your professional network.

Advice

How can you be sure of a successful placement?

You can’t guarantee that you’ll pass your internship, but you can make every effort to do so. Here’s how to make sure you achieve your goal.

Making a good impression during your placement

It all comes down to the impression you make on the company’s employers and employees. Without systematically making yourself stand out through good actions, avoid making yourself stand out for bad ones. For example, try to avoid being late throughout your placement.

Or show enthusiasm and seriousness by carrying out your assignments properly. Avoid any negative comments about your work or attitude, whether from employers or employees, or use them to improve yourself on a daily basis.

Getting involved and giving it your all

You also have everything to gain by giving your all and giving the best of yourself. Make suggestions and listen! Even if you don’t get a job offer at the end of your placement, it’s still a way for you to develop yourself and identify any weaknesses you may have.

Objectives

Why do you need to define your objectives clearly before the course?

To get the most out of your work placement, it’s essential to define its objectives clearly beforehand, to give you an idea of the skills you’ll be developing over the duration of the placement. In this way, you can align your placement with the part of your training in which you want to improve.

Proactive

How can I show initiative and make suggestions during my placement?

Even as a trainee, you can show initiative and be a force to be reckoned with, provided you know how to go about it in the right way. To do this, you need to have seriously acquired certain skills so that you can assert yourself with confidence. So make sure that your proposals are logical and respectful.

Ideally, start by proving to those around you that you have great potential by limiting mistakes and taking care with your work. After a while, when you feel comfortable in the company, don’t hesitate to make suggestions, recommendations or express your ideas in a professional manner.

Listen to

What if my placement goes badly?

Sometimes, for one reason or another, your work placement does not go well. What should you do if this happens? Generally, you will be assigned a placement supervisor or teacher who will be responsible for ensuring that your placement goes as smoothly as possible.

If you have any problems, let him know about them, whether they relate to your workload, the nature of your assignments or anything else. Normally, he will then contact the company where you are doing your placement to inform them of the situation and rectify it.

Full support

Everything you need to know about internships at INSEEC

At INSEEC, we encourage our students to undertake work placements to complement their training and improve their skills by gaining practical experience. To do this, our business school offers you personalised support based on your objectives.

In particular, we can help you write your CV and take part in events where you can land a work placement. Visit our website to find out more about the services we offer to help you find a work placement, and go to our FAQ section if you need any further information.