Choosing the right MBA internship involves establishing personal, academic, and professional criteria, researching available programs, and narrowing down options based on these criteria. An internship is an important part of an MBA education and can help students validate career options and prepare for job searches.
Choosing the best MBA internship is a process for the student to find the program that offers the best fit for personal, academic, and professional goals. The student should begin the process by establishing standards in each of these areas and determining which of the criteria are negotiable. Working with all available resources, including the school’s placement office, teachers, Internet and personal networks, the student compiles a list of all available placements. By comparing the list of criteria to available programs, the student can narrow the field and apply only to the programs that are most suitable for him/her.
At the MBA level of education, an internship program is an important part of the learning process and an important career development tool. Many MBA internship programs are used by the company to find potential employees. Students use the programs to validate career field options, expand knowledge, and prepare for a job search after graduation.
Start by developing a list of important personal items for any MBA internship. For many students, the program needs to be located close to a specific city where the student will be living. Other students will want to travel to a program in a new location. Students must determine whether they should take a paid internship, as not all programs offer paid positions.
The MBA internship must also meet the student’s academic criteria. Some MBA programs count the internship as a course. In these cases, a company must be willing to accept the student and provide the necessary documentation to the school. If the MBA program requires an internship in a certain field, the student should narrow down the field of options to explain that as well.
A good MBA internship program also meets professional criteria. The best internship will be in the field the student hopes to enter as a career, providing real-world insight into the work he or she will be able to do for a lifetime. Even if the MBA isn’t in a specifically desired career field, it can expose the student to other work he or she would like to do, or confirm that that career isn’t really the right choice.
Information about internships is generally available from participating companies, but students should cast a wide net initially, collecting data on as many programs as possible. An initial comparison of program requirements and benefits to the list of personal, academic, and professional needs will narrow the list. Students should consider, if possible, talking to current or former interns from these programs to further refine the list. The student must enroll in programs that meet the highest number of criteria and that present the best recommendations.
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