The two questions mentioned in the title of this article are very common questions we all seek answers to as students. Before diving into the matter, let's begin with a simple question of why one should do an internship in the first place.
Why should I do an internship?
Keeping this brief, after undergraduation, whether you’re applying for a job or a master's program, internships are a key part of your application. They help to demonstrate that you have gone beyond your curriculum and engaged in learning activities. It also helps to prepare you for the industry that you plan to enter. If you’re applying for masters, then look for relevant research internships or one of the substitutes mentioned later in this article.
Another way to look at it is, everyone you’re competing with has done internships. If you’re the only one left out it will affect your candidacy.
Finally, from personal experience and from those of my peers, you really get to learn a lot during your internship, often much more than you learn in college.
How many internships should I do?
This is a very interesting question. I come from Delhi University, and here students have a mindset of ‘jitne kar sakte ho karo’. In translation, ‘do as many as you can’. I will argue that it is a fundamentally flawed approach. What matters is the quality of the work you’ve done and not the number of internships. A recruiter at a company or a college admission board will be keener to see whether you’ve gone in-depth into at least one project or internship. Working on the surface level across 4-5 different internships does not convey that you have the capacity to do the actual work/studies/research.
A rule of thumb you can use is ideally one internship for one year of academic studies
It could be corporate or social or research-based. If it's not a part of your college curriculum, ideally pick it during your summer break so that you can complete it as a full-time intern. So that would be 2 internships for a 3-year degree, 3 internships for a 4-year degree, and so on. However, ensure that these internships are good/useful ones, keeping in mind the parameters mentioned in this article. Alternatively, you could do a lesser number of internships and use one of the substitutes mentioned below.
Are there any substitutes for an internship?
Well yes, there are! First, if you haven’t read the answer to the 1st question, do so, as in order to find substitutes for internships you need to understand why internships are required in the first place. Keep in mind that these substitutes are not inferior to an internship itself. It depends upon which field you’re in. For example, in an academic field, a research project may hold more weightage than an internship.
Close substitutes to internships are working on a project, be it a live project or a research project. You can also work with think tanks or various bodies of the government. Ideally, instead of working on a project on your own authority, it's better to work under someone of some institute with experience. This helps in two ways. First, it adds credibility to the work you’ve done. Second, it provides you with help and guidance from someone with experience.
Other substitutes are working extensively in certain college activities or running a social initiative or a startup. Winning national level competitions in your field could also be a substitute at times. You can also pick up volunteer work at an NGO.
Further reading: 7 techniques to land an internship
To learn how to make a professional CV to get selected by top tier firms, read here.
To learn how to comprehensively prepare for your interviews, read here.
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All the best!
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