When I was 9 years old I tried an art class with my younger sister because I thought I could excel at it. (My main drive was to prove I was the best at it). However, 15 minutes into the class I had walked out and sat in the car with my mom. I was not artistically gifted nor did I posses the patience or focus for the class.
As you are looking at possible jobs or careers it is very important to experience how you perform in the field. I am not just talking about the fitness and performance realm, but in any industry. Is it too physically demanding, is it too intellectually demanding, do you have to multi-task or can you put all your focus on one project at a time? These are much more important questions to consider rather than the payment you will receive or the benefits you may get. Trust me there is nothing worse than working a job that you absolutely hate no matter what you are getting paid.
An internship is my simple solution to discovering if "said" job is a good place for you. Researching skill requirements and the demands of the job is great, but the benefits of actively working in that area outweigh the latter. An internship provides you with 3 valuable results.
First, you receive the understanding of what the job actually is. Before I started my internship at Prevail Conditioning (where I currently work now), I thought I could train people purely based off my motivational skills without any rhyme or reason to my training. If you are doing this now, your clients will soon realize they are not getting the results they want! Thankfully I have a great mentor, Chris Ecklund, who took the time to teach Prevails' training philosophy, movement education, and his experience in the field thus far. It was invaluable for me to learn the reasons they train their clients the way they do, as well as gain experience working in their atmosphere.
Second, you are able to self-evaluate how you do in the job. In high school I job shadowed my friend's mom for a semester, who worked in commercial real estate. I was really excited and thought I could see myself working in real estate when I was older. However, by the end of the semester I realized a desk job was not for me. I did not do well the days I went to work with her because of how much sitting and computer reading I was doing. In comparison to my internship with Prevail, I always enjoyed the theory sessions, any training I was observing and the interaction with clients.
Third, internships can lead to jobs! It is not just about figuring out how you do, but in many ways it is like a try-out. You show up each day proving yourself to the company that you are hardworking, dedicated, teachable, etc... Even if you are not offered a job at the company you intern at, the recommendation you receive from them could give you an advantage at the next place you apply. Or better yet, they might set you up with another company they know is looking for employees. You have to always be on your game and live the way you want others to perceive you. For me, this is with an honest heart, a hard working mentality, and serving others before myself.
SUMMARY
Do not underestimate the value of an internship. You will get first hand experience of what working in a certain field is like. Also, you will get raw feedback showing how you succeed and fail in "said" industry. Are the failures something you can work on to make yourself better for the job or is the job not what you expected it to be? Lastly, working an internships gets your foot in the door. Especially in a struggling economy, where it can be tough to get any job, a foot in the door is one of the biggest advantages a person can get. Art was not my thing, but thankfully I found an internship run by a person who was passionate about teaching others who were willing to work. Now I have the privilege to work with Chris (and others who share his desire to teach and continue to learn) each day.
Second, you are able to self-evaluate how you do in the job. In high school I job shadowed my friend's mom for a semester, who worked in commercial real estate. I was really excited and thought I could see myself working in real estate when I was older. However, by the end of the semester I realized a desk job was not for me. I did not do well the days I went to work with her because of how much sitting and computer reading I was doing. In comparison to my internship with Prevail, I always enjoyed the theory sessions, any training I was observing and the interaction with clients.
Third, internships can lead to jobs! It is not just about figuring out how you do, but in many ways it is like a try-out. You show up each day proving yourself to the company that you are hardworking, dedicated, teachable, etc... Even if you are not offered a job at the company you intern at, the recommendation you receive from them could give you an advantage at the next place you apply. Or better yet, they might set you up with another company they know is looking for employees. You have to always be on your game and live the way you want others to perceive you. For me, this is with an honest heart, a hard working mentality, and serving others before myself.
SUMMARY
Do not underestimate the value of an internship. You will get first hand experience of what working in a certain field is like. Also, you will get raw feedback showing how you succeed and fail in "said" industry. Are the failures something you can work on to make yourself better for the job or is the job not what you expected it to be? Lastly, working an internships gets your foot in the door. Especially in a struggling economy, where it can be tough to get any job, a foot in the door is one of the biggest advantages a person can get. Art was not my thing, but thankfully I found an internship run by a person who was passionate about teaching others who were willing to work. Now I have the privilege to work with Chris (and others who share his desire to teach and continue to learn) each day.
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ReplyDeleteThis is so true! I have come to realize that where you have been and what you have done directly affects where you end up. I think if people put themselves out there more--through hard work, process of elimination, and a little bit of luck--they will eventually end up somewhere that suits them perfectly.
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