Internships are increasingly popular in the UK, having been a thing in the US for much longer. Employers often feel there is a gap between their requirements from students and the skills students actually possess. More now than ever before, graduates are required to have work experience; one of the ways of achieving this is an internship. Internships go beyond mere work experience and you may find the best options are as competitive as actual graduate jobs. In a recent survey, around 61% of students get paid employment with the organisation for whom they interned.
Write the Best CV You Can
If like most students, you don’t have much work experience, your CV is going to be sorely lacking. Unless your work experience is relevant, this needs to take a back seat to your studies and linking your degree option and the organisation to relevance to your career goal. In niche degrees or areas of high skill, this may not be necessary but in most cases, it will be. Check relevant job sites on how to create an ideal CV. There is no longer a set standard. Yours could benefit from the best presentation based on your personal circumstances.
Pay Careful Attention to the Requirements
Each internship will have different requirements. It may not just be a case of firing off your CV and forgetting about it. They may require:
- a short personal statement asking why you chose their company, why that industry (especially if your degree is only loosely related to the company). Your lack of other relevant work experience could mean this aspect clinches it for you
- Some may require supporting statements from your tutor or relevant programme director. Seek a trusted member of the faculty who knows you well, your work ethic, for whom you’ve produced the best work or would see you as enthusiastic
Partly, this process is a test of your attention to detail and your determination to take the opportunity seriously. No matter how seemingly insignificant, carry out all instructions to the best of your ability.
Take the Interview Seriously
The organisation is going to want to ensure they get the right person, even if it’s only for six months. Therefore, the majority will require that you interview; this will not be a mere formality and they may be deciding between multiple students. Even if offered a job at the end, this may be the only interview you are expected to attend. Once you have a foot in the door, they may not want to interview you again. Therefore, treat it as the most important interview of your life. It’s likely to be the most difficult and most professional you will have attended so far.