The benefits of interning at a startup
While some of your friends may have spent the summer interning at huge corporations with thousands of employees, a good many were probably in a different situation. As more and more startups come to the forefront, there’s a better chance you may find yourself interning at one. But don’t fret—while a startup may not have the years or size of a fifty-year-old company, it does come with its own special perks.
A huge advantage to interning at a startup is the level of responsibility you will probably have. While every company is different, many startups are on the smaller side and therefore, there is a good chance there will be more for you to do. You may still have to do some boring “intern-y” tasks, but those will probably be coupled by truly exciting projects that you can have a huge hand in. And since startups are constantly changing and evolving, you’ll probably have different things to do throughout your entire internship, which is way more interesting than taking daily coffee orders and filing papers.
Another great advantage to interning at a startup is the opportunity for growth. At least in my experience, since startups tend to be smaller organizations, it’s easier for ideas to be approved and executed in a short amount of time. This means that if you have a suggestion or there’s a project you want to take on, you won’t have to wait for seven people in a chain of command to say OK. Take this opportunity to try something new, pitch unique ideas, and add some awesome skills and accomplishments to your resume.
While a huge part of an internship is learning new things and having the chance to exercise your skills, another equally important component is the people you meet and the connections you form. At many companies, it would be impossible for interns to meet with the CEO or other senior employees. But at a startup, you’ll probably come into contact with employees of all levels, and you may even have the chance to get coffee with them and have some one-on-one time. This can be invaluable, especially when you’re just starting to dive into your industry. By interning at a startup, you have an amazing opportunity to expand your network, seek out mentors, and get advice from people at every stage in your future career.
So if you’re looking for somewhere to intern this year, try casting your net a little wider. While it can be tempting to only look for positions at huge corporations, try looking for entrepreneurs and startups in your area and reap all the benefits of being a big (well, more like medium-sized) fish in a small pond.
