Maximize Your Internship: A Strategic Approach for Career Success

Book Report: Making the Most of Your Internship: A Strategic Approach Student’s Name: Institutional Affiliation: Book Report: Making the Most of Your Internship: A Strategic Approach Introduction In Making the Most of Your Internship: A Strategic Approach, Ryan K. Gower and Michael A. Mulvaney describe the internship process and how learners can best benefit from the program. The authors indicate key issues associated with searching for an internship and the overall experience from the program. Gower & Mulvaney (2012) indicate that an internship is a continuation of the college learning process and offers a real life experience to the issues that students face in their future employment. Consequently, internships are opportunities for the students to access skills on how they can best perform in an actual workplace. Learners should use the program to focus on their skills and advance their awareness of the expectations they have for their jobs. An internship shapes the learner’s career path and prepares the students for the opportunities they should expect in the future. It is critical that learners use the programs to focus on their careers and be productive members of the agencies offering them with the interships. Key Takeaways from Each Chapter Gower & Mulvaney (2012) demonstrated the role of experiential training and the advantages offered by internship to further this goal. Placing students in real-life situations where they are required to apply the skills learnt in the classroom offers them an opportunity to advance their knowledge on careers. Experiential education has become a key part of the learning pedagogy and an accepted step in the process of college education in the United States. The first chapter further demonstrates that students are the key beneficiaries of internships since they gain experience when working with companies other than learning in the classroom. Gower & Mulvaney (2012) provide the example of swimming and comparing practice to placing a management student in a business environment. Even with information about how processes work in a company, lack of practical knowledge could impair the performance of a graduate in a real job. Companies also benefit when offering internships since they have access to cheap and inexpensive labor. However, students are the greatest beneficiaries from internships since they have opportunities to work with qualified individuals who have been in the field longer. The first chapter of the book demonstrates the symbiotic relationship between students and the companies that offer them internships. The best internship opportunity is one that is aligned to the career and professional development goals of the students. Gower & Mulvaney (2012) offer students information on how to choose the best firm to seek an internship based on the goals and individual needs of the student. In the second chapter, the authors advise students to avoid seeking opportunities in areas where they feel most comfortable. Seeking convenience such as the location of the company could deter the learners from accessing the best opportunities from internships. Secondly, the chapter describes the individual analysis process that allows the learners to gain the best from their projects (Gower & Mulvaney, 2012). The assessment process must consider personal interests, the company, and the tasks available for the students during the time of the placement. Moreover, the students must consider the overall environment of the placement to ensure that the agency’s culture is aligned to the individual expectations and career needs. The work environment and culture could have significant implications on the capacity of the students to meet their needs in the organization. Students must seek internships in organizations that will promote their ideals and expectations about a supportive work environment. The relationship between the individual assessment and the future career of the student is closely demonstrated in the third chapter of the text book. Gower & Mulvaney (2012) describes the process of formalizing the internshi