Tips for choosing an internship abroad

Have you decided to do an internship abroad?

Is it a mandatory part of your programme or you need to gain international experience?

1.     Need to look for a company/Industry  that can allocate an experienced manager/staff as your mentor. It is very important to have a knowledgeable colleague willing to guide and inspire you. This colleague needs to have time to sit down with you in order to give you a good overview of the company’s operations and a clear explanation of your everyday tasks, as well as, check on you, help you out and contribute towards your growth in gaining Experience.

2.     Choose a company that can offer you the transition opportunity into a full-time position. Don’t be afraid to ask when applying. Depending on your performance the possibility of  turning from a Interns to a full-time experience and valuable colleague exists and you should use it.

3.     Choose an internship that offers you flexible work hours. The idea of doing an internship abroad is to gain more work experience but you would also like to have some free time to explore the country and to know the culture, travel and make new friends.

4.     Try to find a company or an institution that can offer you Paid Internship. Not all internship positions offer you a salary, but in this case, you should choose a company that offers you some good benefits that would help you in your daily life course.

5.     Look for a company that values its employees and organizes social activities and team bonding events for them. This is a great way to get to know your colleagues at a more personal level and who knows, you can even make new friends! These activities will make you feel as a part of the team and will allow you to work in a more relaxed environment.

6.     Choose a medium size company. Working in a medium size company rather than an international corporate will be less stressful and you will have more personal interaction chances with your new colleagues. Also, try to go for a company with people around your age as it will be easier for you to connect with them and have fun.

7.     Consider the location of the company’s premises. Your working place should be accessible by public transportation.  Don’t go for an internship at a company that is far away from the city center.

8.    Stay in alliance with your values. Do an internship that makes you feel good and it’s not against your life principles.

A last piece of advice, would be to do an internship before you start with your Master’s programme as the internship will offer you the experience you need to make a more mature decision when choosing your Master course. 

Of course, don’t forget that studying or doing an internship abroad is a great chance to indulge into a new culture, learn about the history of the country, taste the local cuisine and improve your foreign language skills, so try to make the most out of it! In case you are considering Italy, I can assure you that you won’t regret it!