The #HauteSquad Tells You Why Summer Internships Are Important For Your Career
I remember when I was in college, summer didn’t exactly mean a vacation. It meant hustling for internships and basically working my ass off. Internships were a huge part of my life and, as it turns out, were super useful for my career as well.
Internships form the foundation of your career and give you the push you need to make it big in life. Though the idea of lazing around at home or flying away to a faraway land is great, spending time working in a real office, will help you professionally a great deal.
And if you still can’t get yourself to send out that application or think that interning is a menial job, let the #HauteSquad convince you. And why should you listen to us?
Because collectively, we have decades and decades of work experience across different walks of life. From editors who have managed enough people and been here for donkey’s years to recent graduates who can confirm the importance of internships, these points are noteworthy.
And we will tell you that it is not just about making a cup of coffee. It is also buying pizza. Okay, I’m kidding. Or maybe not.
“The great thing about internships is that it’s your first real taste of what it means to work full-time — the highs, the lows, the wins, the losses — and you learn some great skills on the job. What’s more, if you’re among those who are confused about what you really want do straight out of college, taking up short-term internships in areas that interest you can really help you zero in on the things that fit. By the time you’re done with college, you’ll be armed with some real-world experience and razor-sharp focus. And who doesn’t love enthusiastic, proactive employees like that!”
— Zahra Khan, Editor-In-Chief
“Almost overnight, you learn a plethora of things that, till now, were none of your concern — the value of money, time management, deadlines, inter-personal relationships with not just your team, but other ones as well. It is a trial-and-error adventure, really.
You think you want to do something in college, but an internship gives you a glimpse of what reality will be like, and though that particular dream may shatter, a new, perhaps better one rises from the ashes. So, do as many internships as possible and always be hungry to gain new experiences.”
— Baishali Chatterjee, Managing Editor
“With my experience of hiring and working with a number of interns, I have gauged one thing — an internship helps you unlearn. Whatever theory you are taught in school and college, the textbooks that take up a good part of your lives, all seem to vanish when you step into the working world. It is just so different from your daydreams that you will be shocked, but in a pleasant way.”
— Aindrila Mitra, Managing Editor, AskMen India
“Internships are important for the simple reason that they teach you so much about work culture and ethics. You start from the ground up, getting your hands dirty and learning everything from scratch. Every company has a different work culture and different styles of working, which will widen your perspective drastically.
Also, if you are lucky, you will find yourself a mentor who will be an invaluable guide long after the internship is over. I still have mine and it is a blessing.”
— Alisha Fernandes, Features Editor
“I did my first internship around 9 years ago and, guess what, the people I interacted with are still on my contact list, some even friends. Networking from such an early age is the best boost that your career can get. You never know who can help you with what and when!”
— Farozan Dossani, Social Media Editor
“Sure, getting into a good college is extremely vital, but an internship will teach you things that sitting in a classroom will never be able to do. You are out there, exposed to the real world, with the excitement to take it all in and, TBH, you will be not disappointed, especially if you have mentors to guide you along the way. It is a learning experience that will last a lifetime.”
— Meghana Choraria, Social Media Executive
“Right out of school and innocence, you suddenly find yourself in the ‘big, bad world’, and that’s when you learn the art of flight or fight. In a matter of days, you suddenly become more mature, sensible, and just a little bit crazy. An internship is a step towards being independent — and you need it.”
— Tatiana Dias, Fashion & Beauty Writer
“My internships are what got me this job. Once you have some work experience on your resume, and passion, of course, no one can stop you from getting your dream job, even if you are a fresher. You will be thrown under the bus, made to do stupid work, maybe just make excel sheets, but every minute of those few months count, and I say this after doing 6 internships.
Also, you will start appreciating many things, including your parents, because you will get a dose of the kind of sacrifices they have made throughout their lives to give you a better one.”
— Japleen Kaur, Lifestyle Writer
“I absolutely loved being an intern. I honestly think it’s a great learning curve and I would urge every kid to do an internship. You need to experience the good and the bad, because each and everything that happens to you during this phase is just prepping you to be a stronger and better person in the future.”
— Snehal Fernandes, Head of Video Content
