Getting an internship can appear a difficult and bewildering process. Company websites are often minefields, with swathes of text obscuring the application information you want. Careers fairs are often overcrowded, with little access to really helpful stuff, and a Google search for internship application help just brings up schemes for diversity from American state authorities.
It is understandable; therefore, that so many students looking for internships in the UK don’t know where to start. If you’re reading this, you have at least made the right first step, by coming to internshipHelp you now have access to all the inside information and tips you need to succeed. Now you just need to go about putting all that into action, organising your time to produce well researched applications which get you the interview you need to put those tips into action.
The first step is to undertake a thorough analysis of which sector you want to work in. There is no problem in applying to several sectors, but most students will concentrate on one and this tends to produce greater concentration of the mind and coherency of effort. The next is to get a good idea of the timescale you are working under, checking the deadlines detailed in our company profiles, in order to produce a timetable for action. It is vital that not only do you not miss deadlines, but that your applications are not rushed at any stage.
The next is to start undertaking the research into the companies, the industry, the job role and, of course, you, necessary to perform well in interviews, application forms and assessment days. It will be crucial for your confidence, and content of your performance, that you are well versed on the relevant topics. Alongside this, keep closely in tune with news and current affairs developments, and try to think hard about how they might affect your sector, job role or company. Keep reading the internshipHelp newsletter and useful articles to stay abreast of key developments.
Always go to interviews or assessment days in a positive frame of mind and well prepared. Read our Top 10 Tips sections, how to beat your nerves, and make sure to practise discussing and debating key topics. Furthermore, be well informed about what to expect on the day; there is nothing like a surprise to throw off the well informed candidate.
Above all else, the way to get an internship is to approach the process in the correct manner. Work hard at it, try your best, but don’t burden yourself with pressure and expectation. Every year, thousands of top graduate jobs are won by people who didn’t get an internship. Going the graduate route might be a tougher road than the intern route, but it will be a lot easier having gone through the internship process once. Also, you will have benefited infinitely from internshipHelp’s great advice!
Remember: there is nothing to lose by going for an internship, but there is a vast amount to gain.