Interns are the lowest of the low on the office totem pole. The bottom rung on the career ladder. And yet advertised internships, whether they're for an Edmonton spa or an Oshawa aerospace firm, often generate thousands of applications. Why? Because internships are a foot in the doorway. By interning at a company you're effectively auditioning for a permanent position. This helps them get to know you and also helps you get to know the industry to see if you're on the right career path. Here's some information about internships, just in case you're thinking of applying for one.
The important thing to note about internships is that there are two types: paid and unpaid. Internships in respected professions where a certain period of internship is required (for example medicine, law, and anger management counselling) are always paid. However many companies (especially in the entertainment industry) take advantage of the high interest in their profession to get free grunt workers. Consult your financial situation and see whether you're able to support yourself in an unpaid position before you accept.
The point of internships isn't actually to supply cheap labor to companies. It's to provide trained or semi-trained individuals with work experience in their field. This internship teaches them on-the-job skills in treating patients, trying cases, preparing business cases, arranging a tent rental in Toronto, or whatever the job is. These skills can then be used gain a permanent position or pad your resume.
Finding internships is much like finding a job. Companies with open positions for interns will advertise in the newspaper, on prominent job sites like Monster.ca, or through their own website. However, if you really want to intern with a specific company, like Nema Enclosures, you can always pitch them the idea of hiring you as an intern (the best way to get them to say "yes" is to offer to work for free). Required internships in fields like engineering and law are often arranged through your university. Commonly available internships in Oshawa are in the fields of video game design, communication, law, medicine, and psychology. For the best options, extend your search to Toronto.
Once you have been interviewed and approved for the internship, you will generally have a set period of time (3 months to a year) in which to make your mark on the company. Your goal is to be as indispensable, creative, hardworking, and easy to get along with as possible. Don't content yourself with the responsibilities you are given (which will probably be to file things and fetch coffee). Always look for opportunities to contribute ideas to the online parenting site you work for. The better you perform during your internship the better your chances of the company offering you a permanent job when your time is up.
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