Internships Aren’t Just for Students and Recent Grads Anymore
Believe it or not, internships aren’t solely the domain of college students and recent graduates anymore. As older workers find themselves laid off or changing careers, they are increasingly taking low paying or unpaid internships to get the skills and experience they need to land the jobs they desire.
In her article, Internships for Elders, Emily Brandon offers some advice for how older candidates can optimize their internship experiences.
Create your own opportunities: Search for internships that are open to all ages and don’t require the participant to receive college credit. If finding internships for older candidates isn’t working, Brandon recommends candidates research the companies they want to work for, then pitch the hiring managers, HR professionals or department heads with their ideas about why they and their skills would be a good fit.
Update your skills. Internships can help laid off workers keep their skills up-to-date and stave off any depression they might feel from being out of work. Finding an internship in a “work situation” and making contacts while there is recommended because there’s no telling who could be instrumental in helping them find new jobs.
Try something new. An internship is a good way for an older candidate to test new career fields and see if they can or want to do the kind of work that’s required. If retraining or education is necessary, it’s a good idea to know ahead of time whether or not the field is worth the time and expense.
Accept your new role. It’s not easy for someone to go from a authority position to that of subordinate, but it’s essential for older candidates to know how to do this gracefully if they want to succeed in their internships and new jobs or careers.
Transition to a paying job. Again, the importance of networking is stressed. But Brandon points out that networking with other interns can be as beneficial as networking with company employees.
Changing careers or finding a new job after being laid off is tough, but internships might be just what some baby boomers – and some Gen Xers, too – need to get back into the workforce again.
