From a student’s perspective, there are four different types of internship jobs. Most jobs can stink (see picture), but on the other hand, there are also internship jobs that people can’t stop raving about.
(1) Small business project-based intern jobs. This occurs when a small business gives an intern or groups of interns project based work. Typically these projects are based on 2 week cycles and the intern or groups of interns present to management after each cycle.
(2) Small business manager-based intern jobs. Pretty simple: interns are assigned a manager and do whatever the manager asks. (I believe this model will slowly fade away and intern jobs will become increasing more project-based.)
(3) Large business evaluative intern jobs. Large businesses often set up intern jobs with the goal of using a 10-week trial period to evaluate an entry level hire. This makes sense. Just like a car, you want to drive it before you buy it.
(4) Large business because-I-have-to intern jobs. Many large businesses set up internship jobs because that is what they have always done. Theses businesses have no clear internship program goals and really just do it because they always have. No one interally has crunched the numbers or set goals.
There is a wide variety of intern jobs, but most can be grouped in one of these categories mentioned above. Each has their pros and cons. But, innovative students would thrive with intern job #1.
Best of luck with the intern job hunt!
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Check out more: 7 internship resume tips and 7 internship cover letter tips.
