7 Goals You MUST Achieve Before Your Internship Program Is Over. HR Advices

By Elizabeth Benu,

Remember the determination you had when you started looking for an internship? Determined is the exact word to describe best how most graduates are, but what happens after landing the internship? Is the opportunity just meant to show on your CV just for the sake of it?

Sadly enough for most job seekers internships are merely a source of leisure. Most go into the programs with no goals at all.

Samson Wetu* says that he has just completed his internship with a textile company in the Industrial Area, Nairobi but for the life of him, he didn’t gain anything from it.

He writes in an email, “Three months ago when I started my internship, I was happy because I had something on my hands instead of idling around. With the internship over, I feel the only thing I did was waste my time.” He adds that, “I regret not taking the opportunity seriously since I am pretty sure I did not achieve anything from it.”

His next move he says it to apply for another position. “But I am scared of history repeating itself. What should I do?” he pleads

Speaking to Kevin Kerosi, HR Personnel with Rose Avenue Consultants, he advises that it’s important for interns to list their internship goals to establish what they hope to gain from the opportunity.

With the assistance of Mr Kerosi, and Martin Githaiga, a HR Officer at Corporate Staffing Services they both highlight on the goals one has to achieve before their internship is over.

1.You have to learn to meet deadlines
“Know the exact company policies and manage handling pressure at the same time meeting deadlines. Complete all your work assignments with the same level of enthusiasm and professionalism. It helps because later in your job you manage your work with ease no matter how short the deadline is,” Kerosi says.

2.You should be able to relate with different people
“It is necessary to know the people in the company and this can be done by working in different departments. Get as much exposure to new people with different ideas to help you learn more,” Mr Kerosi advices.

3.You must practice your theory
“What you learnt in school was not meant to remain in the books, put your theory into practice by taking all opportunities presented to you such as arranging meetings, attending conferences and writing a report on it or even participating in training workshops,” says Githaiga.

4.Networking should be at the top of your list
“Internships provide a networking platform to find your next career step be it another internship or a job. Build relationships with your supervisor, your team mates and other people from your department. They can also help in job-hunting advice tips. Do not burn your bridges even after a bad internship. Try leaving in good terms,” Mr Githaiga recommends.

5.Leave with substantial accomplishments.
“Substantial accomplishments are good for your résumé. A recommendation letter comes in handy when applying for a new job. Ensure that you get one immediately you finish when your performance is still fresh in your supervisors mind,” Mr Githaiga says.

6.Complete the internship
“Some interns do not complete the internship period. Note that internship assessment proves productive between 3-6 months. Ensure that you strive to complete your internship time and benefit from it,” advices Mr Githaiga.

7. Find a Mentor.

“A mentor is someone who looks after you and is usually after your best interests. Finding a mentor will help you in learning and accomplishing what you need to do. They also offer good career advice,” Mr Githaiga concludes.

Most internships serve as great experiences when the above goals are achieved.

Have you achieved yours?

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