Drawing from my experience at Reichman University, where I have the privilege of advising undergraduate students majoring in Digital Innovation - a technological fusion of Data Science and Product Development - I've observed that securing an internship at a reputable company is invaluable. It confers a significant degree of professional prestige, as exemplified by the addition of the company's logo on a student's LinkedIn profile.
Academic endeavors, while important, tend to be homogeneous across most students' profiles. For instance, the university's logo is a given, and even a brief exchange program at a prestigious U.S. institution is not uncommon. What truly stands out is the logo of a well-respected company, earned through an internship - however brief it may be.
I strongly advocate that students maintain a portfolio of organizations they admire and proactively seek internship opportunities within these firms. Networking is key - don't hesitate to leverage connections, even if they are second-degree. It can also be beneficial to offer services in an unpaid capacity, if that's what it takes to secure a position. Remember, the objective is to do exceptional work that warrants the addition of the company's logo on your LinkedIn profile.
It is important to note that an internship should not necessarily be viewed as a pathway to a permanent role within the same company. Interns are often perceived as just that, even post-internship. Hence, it's crucial to extract maximum value from the internship experience and then move on to secure a full-time role elsewhere.
Personally, I maintain a running list of companies I hold in high esteem. Recently, I added BrightDrop and Bending Spoons to this list. I strongly recommend my students to consider these companies and even propose remote work arrangements, if necessary.
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Moses Miller
Assistant Professor
Reichman University
Herzliya
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Original Message:
Sent: 05-09-2023 11:29
From: Jill Capello
Subject: Have any advice on finding internships?
A number of our student members have been asking us how best to find and secure an internship. The Career Center at informs.org has an internship search tab that students may find helpful. Besides that, do you have any advice to share – where to look, when to look, how to best present yourself? Please share your insights with your fellow members. Thank you!
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Jill Capello
Membership Associate
INFORMS
Catonsville MD
jcapello@informs.org
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