Today’s job market is highly competitive for recent graduates. What’s more, it seems like even the most junior positions are demanding years of experience from their candidates. As a result, internships are increasingly becoming the norm for those trying to get their foot in the door of a new industry.
The latest market research from
Highfliers.co.uk shows that almost half the recruiters who took part in the research repeated their warnings from previous years – that graduates who have no previous work experience are unlikely to be successful during the selection process.
Doing an internship is a great way to gain some valuable work experience to spruce up your CV after completing your course. Aside from impressing employers, internships also have a multitude of other perks, such as:
- First-hand knowledge of your chosen industry
- An insight into what is involved in job roles
- Practical skills that you wouldn’t get in the classroom
- Professional contacts that you could use later in your career
- The potential for a job offer after your internship finishes
Before you start looking, work out your career interests. Use that to focus your search – what kind of company do you want to work for? What kind of role would you like to have?
Research essential skills that you will need in the future
You can do this by looking at job descriptions relevant to your chosen career. Take note of the person requirements and make a list of the skills you need to build on. Look for internship opportunities that offer the chance to do just that - this way you’ll ensure you can gain enough relevant experience to talk about in a job interview.
Start applying early and be aware of deadlines
Many industries will have a small window for submissions in order to allow them time to sift through high volumes of applications. Don’t miss out on an opportunity because you weren’t prepared.
Take advantage of networking opportunities
Use them to find potential people who could offer you an internship or offer advice on starting out in their industries. Read our top tips for successful networking
here.
Write a speculative application
Target Jobs explain that many jobs and internships aren’t advertised. This is especially true in the media, charity, design and environmental industries. One of the only ways to tap into this hidden job marketing is to write a speculative application. This can also be a useful way to approach small employers who don’t tend to recruit graduates onto a formal scheme or to find jobs in a highly specialised field or specific location.
Internships and pay
Money should not be the guiding factor when it comes to choosing the right internship, but it is certainly something important to take into consideration. If you are accepting a lower-paid internship – can you afford it? Will you be compensated in other ways? Some other possible compensations you could receive are subsidised travel or lunches.
However, you should know that it is illegal for a company to hire you for free. You should receive at least the National Minimum Wage if you are classed as a worker. “The vast majority of interns are classed as workers,”
say Prospects.ac.uk. This means you have set hours, duties and responsibilities. There are exemptions from this, for instance if you are doing a sandwich placement as part of a course, you are doing work shadowing, or you are working for a charity.
You should be aware that in today’s competitive job market, many graduates are still willing to work for free. Just make sure you are not being taken advantage of and are getting real value from your internship.
