The Internship I: Get to Work!

MAKING SEPTEMBER COUNT

DAY 14: September 14th, 2017.

Halo!

Day 14 of our Making September Count Series is here, and marks the end of two thrilling weeks of enabling progress towards your desired career start. I’m grateful for the opportunity to have given you value so far, and can only request that you share these posts with every young person out there who’s in dire need of some hand-holding. As young people, when we help each other, we accelerate the train in the direction of our collective assured destinies.

I’d now set motivational speaking aside :). Today’s focus area is the subject matter of a 2013 American comedy with the same title. Here’s a quick peek: Two recently-laid-off salesmen (Vince Vaughn & Owen Wilson) earn an opportunity to intern at Google, they impress (after initial doubts about their fit), and eventually land full time jobs with the company. For your leisure time, the movie comes highly recommended (you can watch a trailer here).

I thought it might be important to expound a bit on Internships as decisive elements of your value-projection agenda. Employers of labor regard highly, candidates who can prove that they’ve had some basic experience with the job description, and more importantly, that they can operate alongside their colleagues in typical work conditions.

Here’s the bombshell; you’re a 20-something year old graduate in 2017, and cannot refer to any real-world experience before you graduated, your chances of getting hired are slimmer! In the process of completing a first degree (or higher), we are fed tons of theory, with limited opportunities to see those theories function in practical scenarios.

Admission & Certification prerequisite. The national policy on tertiary education in Nigeria has recognized the need for students to have some field practice, as a crucial requirement for the award of undergraduate degrees, and has advised institutions within its jurisdiction to implement this. Prior admission to study for a higher degree in business (an MBA for instance), some institutions require their scholars to fulfill the work experience requirement. Ahead of the award of the degree as well, an internship is as well required to be completed. Moreover, most professions recognize the significance of internships to the proficiency of their practitioners. The award of “Barrister at Law (B.L)” by the Nigerian Bar Association on completion of Law School also requires the completion of a Legal Externship by the scholars. Generally, in the medical sciences, as a prerequisite for induction into relevant professional bodies, medics have to undergo a period of understudying experienced practitioners. Following professional examinations, a large number of Finance and Accounting professional bodies have a Professional Experience Requirement as a precondition for induction to membership. You don’t have many alternatives eventually.

Work Requirement. At an onboarding session I attended, an HR Officer shockingly declared: “If I’m ever faced with this sort of recruitment dilemma, I’d hire a 23 year old First Degree holder who’s had about two internships and some work experience over a 25 year old Doctorate holder with amazing credentials, but who’s never sat at a workstation”. The 1st individual has packed up some work experience, and with a first degree, understands that he knows very little. He is humble enough to be teachable. The other individual possesses a Ph.D., and arrives at the interview with a ‘know it all attitude’. He’s young, and has potential, but would never fit in, because he’s spent so much time poring over books that he acts as though he holds the key to the world’s information repository! You could qualify for some Experienced-Level jobs (say 2-year experience requirement), if you’ve spent all summer holidays of your 4-year programme jobbing.

Internships: My Takeaways

Guarantee your Workstation. There have been instances where people held internships, and on the strength of their superior performances, were retained on the job (think about my initial Google Analogy). An internship is an opportunity to show off your skills and strength areas, and impress superiors with your work ethic and personal character. You also have a rare opportunity to learn a great deal about the company and gain insights into industry. If you do well on the internship, chances are you might have guaranteed yourself a job!

Build a solid network. Today, everyone talks about how you need to be powerfully connected to access certain opportunities, including jobs. On an internship, you have the exciting prospect of meeting and interacting with brilliant, matured and experienced minds; some of them at senior management level, others, interns just like yourself. Most structured internship schemes operate a ‘buddy system’, where you’re assigned a Personal Development Coach who constantly checks on your job performance, recommends solutions to challenges you possibly encounter and learning areas. Everyone you meet is a potential knowledge fountain for you to learn everything and anything. Drink! I am still in touch with my buddies from my previous internships, in addition to owning an enviable professional contact database. Personal, career or business, I always have someone to call on. They are the real ‘connections!’

Improve. Because you’re a greenhorn, you’re prone to blunders, technical and professional. There are people available to constantly point out these gaffes to you, without unnecessarily severe repercussions. Chances are that if you’ve made a mistake twice on your first internship, you wouldn’t make it on your net internship, or the real job. With an internship, you’d hone skills you originally possessed, develop new skills on the job, and enhance your performance in grey areas.

Fast track your progress. There is a school of thought that believes the best way to advance rapidly in most organizations is through internships. I concur to a very large extent, and I’d explain why. There are people who have monitored your professional development, have observed your delivery on the job, and your application of leadership and other skills. These ones can vouch for your competence, when required. It wouldn’t come as a surprise to find the interns being prepared for Management roles, on a track that is faster than regular. At one of my internships, my direct boss recommended that I be enrolled in the Graduate Management Programme, as soon as my Mandatory Youth Service was completed. My friend in the same multinational was initially an intern, enrolled for the same programme, and in two years rose to the level of manager. It’s no coincidence!

Final Words…

In the next edition, we’d conclude a discussion on Internships, and I’d tell you how to optimize them for career building. I’d also share my personal experience and lessons learned. Till then, get to work!

Today’s Interview Tip

Query: If employed, how much do you expect to earn?

Alternative Response I: In my previous job, I earned #XXX in annual benefits. However, I have done some basic research, and understand that a compensation package ranging from #XXX to #XXX applies to this role and level. I’d be comfortable with a package in that band.

Alternative Response II: I’d prefer a better detailed understanding of the job description. That’d guide my remuneration assumptions. However, I’m informed that an average employee in the same role earns about #XXX annually. I’d be content with #X plus #XXX, as I believe that I bring some significant added value to the company.

Author’s Note

The views expressed and points raised here, though not exhaustive, are an outcome of my careful study, research and observation. Do you need to prepare a winning CV/resumé, Cover Letter or Motivation Letter and are pressed for time? You can send me a mail via mailthefresher@gmail.com or call +2348138800012. You can also reach out via LinkedIn through Olumide Ibikunle for discounted assistance.

Get to Work!

Olumide Ibikunle

14 | 09 | 2017