Finding and Getting the Most Out of Virtual Internships

Today's guest post is from Heather Huhman, a Gen-Y expert and all around cool chick with super-insightful things to say about careers.

What position can offer you work experience, personal networking development, and practice with the latest social media and Internet communication tools from your own front porch? A virtual internship.

As budgets tighten and technology flourishes, virtual internships are becoming more and more commonplace. Students who don’t attend schools in major cities can still earn valuable work experience without sacrificing schoolwork, or others who can’t afford a temporary move can tap into the Web to stay ahead of the curve.

Once you decide that a virtual internship suits your needs, begin your path to a more flexible career by finding and capitalizing on the right virtual intern position for you.

· Develop an online portfolio. Compile all of your best work and develop an online portfolio that you think best represents your ability and work ethic. Being able to present a clear portrait of yourself online is the first step to preparing yourself for a virtual internship.

· Tap into social networks. Sign-up and develop profiles on major social networking websites (i.e., Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and industry-specific Web sites) to gain the inside scoop and see what companies are offering. Once you’ve done so, plug that online portfolio you’ve made occasionally. Make sure it is a focal point of your online presence. Also, doing a simple online search or looking at Web sites such as UrbanInterns is an easy way to get information about available virtual internships.

· Look for smaller companies. Smaller companies that hope to build an online presence or do a lot of their work from home could be your best bet to landing a virtual internship. These companies will be the most comfortable with virtual interns because the probably already have a program set up for remote work.

After landing the position, getting the most out of a virtual internship is very similar to an on-location internship.

· Network with your coworkers. Be sure to keep in contact. Simple things like getting on Skype and chatting with your team or shooting weekly update e-mails can really help you stay in the loop and make sure you have a handle on assignments.

· Understand the nature of the position. Because you don’t have that direct contact, there are obviously some limitations to a remote internship. By zeroing in on shortcomings to your specific position, you will be able to avoid the obstacles that can come with online interaction.

· Set personal goals. Know what you want to get out of the internship and what you want to give in return. Be sure to be upfront about those goals with your manager and yourself.

Virtual internships can open up a world of possibilities. The experience can teach you time management, independency skills and help you adapt to globalization. Finding and taking advantage of this new and dynamic opportunity can push you to be a better employee and take your career to the next level.

Heather R. Huhman is a career expert and founder & president of Come Recommended, an exclusive online community connecting the best internship and entry-level job candidates with the best employers. She is also the national entry-level careers columnist for Examiner.com and blogs about career advice at HeatherHuhman.com.