How to get the 3 things you need from every job or internship
Chances are, if you’re like most people, you’ll be much more focused on prepping for interviews than exploring if a job or internship is right for you. While this may help you get more jobs – you need to make sure it gets you the right jobs.
After doing 4 very different internships and learning about friends’ internships in various fields, I’ve found that there are 3 things you need to make sure any job or internship you apply to has.
But first...
Why > What
I’ve read way too many articles telling me what specific things to look for in internships/jobs. I still ended up with dud internships. You already know all the standard things to look for.
This article is all about how to test and challenge the position to make sure it doesn’t turn out to be a dead-end job and that it will give you more options for the future.
When you focus on the “why” you make connections that others don’t think of and miss out on. Each section is spilt into how to ensure the job has what you need and why it matters. You gain a lot more from the “how” when you think about the “why”.
The 3 Most Important Things
Availability of Mentorship and Development
Why it matters:
Early in your career, your manager is the largest external influence on you. Even though you control what you learn, you can be severely limited or helped by your manager. You may not know who your manager will be while interviewing, much less be able to pick them, so you should hedge the chance of a mediocre manager.
Mentorship is one of the most important things to look for. This is especially true in entry level positions or internships where your work will start off limited. You’ll primarily learn and get up to speed with the help of others, and mentors can teach you the ropes to all sorts of things you wouldn’t know to ask about.
Mentors also provide development outside of the specifics of your role and can help with overall career guidance, or at the very least, give you new perspectives to think of.
If mentorship hasn’t worked well for you in the past or you want to gain even more from them, turn them into champions.
How to get it:
1) Often times companies have formal mentorship programs that you can join. Ask to see what programs they have and your options for mentorship pairing. See how long programs last, what they entail, if mentors opt in or if it’s mandatory, and how many mentees each usually has. You want to see if the mentors actually care about their mentees, how much time they’ll have for you, and determine if the program is there for show or if it’s legit.
Ask if they have any other types of internal development available as well. Then, ask to talk to people who have used the resources you’re interested in to learn more about how helpful it is.
2) Ask about the culture of setting up informational interviews with others in the company. Are upper level managers receptive to meeting with new hires? Will you get exposure to meet other teams you want to learn about? Always ask multiple people at the company about the general willingness of people to meet with and mentor others. Then, ask for specific examples of how they have taken advantage of it and what it’s done for them.
Meaningful Projects and Responsibilities
Why it matters:
Before you say this one sounds obvious (I know it does), ask yourself this. Have you ever specifically asked about the responsibilities you’ll have once you start? The specific role of your team and the types of projects they work on? It’s important to get as much information about the scope of the work, projects, and why they matter as you can.
For internships especially, you’ll want to make sure you can explain what you worked on, how it contributed to the project and your team, and how the project helps the company.
How to get it:
1) If you can meet the team before accepting an offer, ask what upcoming projects they have in mind for you, what they need the most help on, and what their biggest priorities and goals are. This will give you a scope of the work you’ll likely be brought in on. Figure out what groups they work with the most.
Then ask yourself, is this the type of work you’re interested in? Will the projects teach you skills you want to learn? Is there room for you to make a significant impact on the team?
2) Ask about what interns/employees have worked on in the past and learn about their projects. See if their past projects helped them develop skills and experience that align with what you want to learn. Would this get you closer to working on what you’re interested in doing in the future? Which brings us to:
Exit Options
Why it matters:
You may not know what sections you want to explore while visiting a museum. You can take your time finding what interests you. But if there’s a fire, you definitely want to know the fastest way out.
Jobs and internships are meant to be progressive. You don’t need to know what you want to do next, you just want to be building skills and experience that will give you options to pursue your interests once you get a better idea of what you want.
Your goal is to challenge the role and make sure you can use it to your advantage. Don’t worry if it’s not a step in the “right direction”, there’s rarely such a thing over a long time horizon. Don’t worry if it isn’t a step “up” or what others think. All that matters is if it clearly provides experience in what you want to work on and develop, or gives you an edge to work on that in the future.
How to get it:
1) See what past employees and interns go on to do after the job. Do they stay with the company? Do they switch to a different division or function? Do they switch careers entirely? Do they go out and get even cooler jobs?
This is useful especially if people switch to industries or roles you’re more interested in. But remember- don’t let someone else’s path dictate yours, paint your own story. Knowing what others have done only shows you potential options and what’s common.
2) Take everything you’ve learned and ask yourself what you really want to gain next in the short term. Does this position offer what you’re looking for, and what doors in the future are you making it easier to open by taking this role?
The bonus for giving a sh*t
For those of you thinking “this is great and all but I only apply to jobs that meet those qualifications so I don’t need to ask about this”, let me tell you about the added perks you’ll get for giving a sh*t.
You may have noticed all of the “How to get it” sections revolved around asking questions. When you show curiosity and the desire to learn more about someone or something, they typically not only become more endeared to you, but they will also see you as someone who cares about them and wants to help. Guess what type of people they want on their teams?
The other bonus is signaling. If they are unsure or don’t have good answers to your questions, be cautious. Always talk to several people to avoid having only one perspective. The company sends those that represent them in a positive light so ask lots of questions to get a less photoshopped image.
Just because they have an established mentorship program doesn’t mean it’s ever helped anyone. The point is: the more you know, and the more you care to know, the easier it should be to find a good fit.
The job doesn't make you
Cliché? I hate myself a little for writing that, yes. But it’s also important.
While you obviously want to pick the best offer, you may not always have options. I certainly didn’t for my first 3 internships. If those past internships “made me” then I would either be doing something I was less interested in right now, or unemployed.
Instead, make the most of your opportunities. In the long run, that counts for way more than what job you would have taken if you had had options. If you do get rejected from your top option then reframe it to help you in the future.
So, if you were dreaming about finding the perfect internship or job and just woke up now- here are the main takeaways:
- Always grill your recruiter and employees in the companies you’re applying to about the emphasis on mentorship and development. Learn as much as you can about the projects and responsibilities you’ll have. Be curious about everything while talking to them and they’ll even like you more.
- Always think about how this role would help you get one step closer to your goal. And, if you don’t have a set goal yet, what skills and experience will you learn here that will translate to different things you’re interested in.