The companies have used creativity to reshape these opportunities in order to adapt to a changing workforce as a result of the pandemic. These demands have required students to adapt. The past year has presented unique challenges to college students, recent graduates, and employers who are trying to get valuable experience through internships. Many companies have made the hard decision to stop hiring, or cut off internships,” says Amanda Stansell. Stansell says that the job market has begun to show signs of improvement, which presents opportunities for those who are just starting their career.
The use of remote internships is increasing. They can be challenging, but also give incoming professionals the chance to work in a dynamic workplace. This is a great asset for someone just starting out in their career.
Take advantage of your remote internship to gain an edge in your transition from academic life into the professional world.
Finesse the flux.
According to data generated by a href=”https://www.pewresearch.org/social-trends/2020/12/09/how-the-coronavirus outbreak has changed and not changed the way Americans work/psdt_12-9-20_covid_work00-0/”>Pew Research Center/a>, about 20 percent of American worked remotely before March 2020. Pew Research Center generated data that showed about 20% of Americans were working remotely prior to March 2020. Around 71 percent went remote during the pandemic. Among the benefits for employees is increased flexibility, which leads to better concentration, motivation and productivity.
Glassdoor Chief Economist Dr. Andrew Chamberlain says that remote work is here to remain. Chamberlain explains that the pandemic has “forced employers to reconsider outdated policies against working remotely”. The lessons from 2020 will change the way companies view hybrid offices. “We expect that in 2021, workers will be spending more time at home than they do in the office.” says Dr. Chamberlain.
As a remote internship during this period of change, you will have the opportunity to see the changing workplace. Rob Mundell is Senior Vice President, Talent Solutions at Charles Schwab. Our students and managers were successful, and we have been able apply the learnings from last year to this year’s intern cohort.
Take a moment to consider how you can prepare for the changing workplace by leveraging your involvement in the profession during these times of transition. This gives you the opportunity to develop your awareness and skills while gaining practical experience. Our interns are highly adaptive and have found ways to use remote working to their advantage. Mundell says that the remote interns have a greater sense of connection than any other class he has ever seen.
The future will require that you refine your skills.
Working remotely demands soft-skills, including self-management skills, communication skills, flexibility and agility. These skills have likely been developed through academics, particularly if you have taken online classes. You can also test these skills as a remote internship. It is a valuable asset for a changing workforce.
For remote employees or hybrids, self-management is essential. This means being able to manage a productive work environment remotely, asking for help when you need it, and focusing on your task. This skill is one that will benefit you throughout your career, and the remote internship helps to refine it.
Our interns are the future of Schwab. They challenge us every year and bring new ideas, perspectives, and methods of thinking to the table. We want to educate them and help develop their abilities by providing practical experiences that will enhance their problem-solving, collaboration and strategic thinking skills. Mundell says that the program also plays a major role in our talent pipeline. In 2020, 78% out of 400 students in our class received an offer to work at Schwab. We hope to hire more interns this year as we fill vacant roles in our company. This includes financial consultants, clients service representatives, technology professionals, and licensed representative.
Notate instances when you applied your soft skills in order to handle complex tasks or convey complex messages. These examples can be used in any future interview, regardless of whether it is with your former employer or a new one. A strategic approach to interviewing is to use real-life examples of professional abilities. This gives you a competitive edge.
Network-building.
Your professional advantage is your network. You probably have someone you can turn to for help, whether you’re looking for a mentor, sponsor, job or answer to an important professional question. Your professional life will be spent strengthening this network of influence and adding to those webs that you are a part.
You have a great opportunity to build your network through an internship. Although it can be difficult to achieve this virtually, the effort is worth it. Use your soft skills to introduce yourself to people who are doing the work that you would like to do, even if it’s outside of your immediate group.
Keep in mind that networks are driven by karma. It’s not a sign of weakness to ask a coworker to help you, connect with someone, or to answer your question. The majority of people are willing to help others when possible because they understand that they will be supported by their peers when in need. Don’t be afraid to connect and reach out with new colleagues while on your remote internship. Networking is a skill that you should get used to. This is a vital skill.
Even better, if your company offers a mentoring or sponsoring program to interns. Mundell says: “To increase the personal connections between interns and their mentors in a fully virtual setting, we have increased the number of mentoring opportunities. We also launched the new Schwab Families program. The Schwab Families program pairs interns in small groups with the Executive Leadership Team and alumni of the intern program for support, advice and encouragement.
You will have an advantage when building a professional network because of the relationships that you develop during your internship. As a professional, and as you progress in your career, every professional will need the input and help of their professional network. Take this chance to expand your professional network, and build up your LinkedIn profile. You will be able to use it in future career searches as well as in professional activities after graduation.
Develop professional fluency.
It will provide you with a new and exciting level of learning. You will grow professionally, and you’ll get a better idea of what your next step should be.
In the professional setting, you will find a different pace, lingo, and culture than in your academic environment. Your internship will help you bridge the cultural gap between an academic and professional setting.
You will learn the language used by professionals within your field. You will learn about the systems and databases they use. You can learn which memberships of professional societies are important to the people who fill roles you’re interested in. You may be surprised to learn that many of your professors are unaware of these details. However, knowing them will make you look more professional when interviewing for your first job.
You will also have an understanding of the professional standards that you would not have had if you hadn’t done an internship. You’ll also have a wealth of work examples and samples to use in your interviews, along with excellent professional references. These all give you a competitive edge.
An historic achievement
You are part of a crucial time for the workplace. The future of their workforce is being decided by companies. Will they be returning to full-time work? They will continue to work from home or hybrid? You have the relevant experience of a remote internship during this time of transition.
During your internship, you have developed and refined your professional skills. As you become a member of the workforce for pandemic, this is a great time to start learning the ropes. You can use this to your advantage during your internship, and when you start the job hunt.
