The hot topic on everyone’s lips at the moment is internships. It seems pretty difficult to avoid a conversation about getting a work placement; between summer plans, volunteering, academic and social pressures internships have now been pushed to the top of the agenda. Whilst many seem to be in the process of applying and know exactly what they want to do, for many of us, the concept of an internship and how to get one remains quite an enigma. Having been told throughout our education that there is no need to worry about jobs ‘yet’, preparing ourselves for the world of work appears to have crept up very quickly, and being bombarded with facts, figures and deadlines for applications has put us in a bit of a panic. Well never fear ladies, HCX have spoken to Exeter University students and staff to answer the pressing question: do I really need an internship?
First and foremost, it’s important to understand what an internship actually is. Ian Hodges, Exeter’s Careers and Employability Manager describes an internship as, “a formal work placement designed and administered to give students an experience of the role and the company itself”, which is usually for a fixed period of time. The benefit of an internship is that it gives you an extended period in which to experience a company and make an impression, “the more opportunity you have to shine”. In fact, one of the most popular reasons for getting an internship amongst students is to be in with a better chance of getting a job afterwards. Exeter Student Claudia said, “it if improves my job prospects I would love to do it, especially in such a competitive market.” This is certainly true of the large investment banking firms for example, with 50%-70% of permanent job holders employed following an internship with that company. “They might give preference to people that have internships when looking for candidates for future employment.” If you are hoping to work for an investment bank, law firm or larger commercial organisation, an internship is hugely beneficial, and near enough crucial in the hugely competitive job market.
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Many students feel a great pressure to get an internship, as student Anna highlights, “ I feel the most pressure to obtain an internship from friends and other people on my course, even though I’m not sure what I want to do. At times, it just feels like it is all everyone is talking about and that if you don’t manage to secure an internship you will never get a job”, but this is certainly not the case, with many job sectors not requiring an internship as a way of getting employment. On one hand, the opportunity to have an internship is something that should be encouraged because it provides a great experience of the world of work, but it is important to remember that “any work experience is going to be good work experience; it doesn’t necessarily have to be a formal placement.” Other than large firms and banking, it is not necessary to have an internship to secure a job, and employers are as equally impressed by other types of work experience, which could actually produce a better candidate who has been open to different experiences. “In fact what can make candidates actually stand out from the crowd is evidence that they have made use of the opportunities around them, and joined in.” Try to do something that gets you noticed, “You can do this through engaging with things on campus”. Getting involved in societies, volunteering or generally on campus establishes teamwork and communication skills that are highly desirable for employers. It may also allow for opportunities that are original and make candidates stand out from the crowd. “Don’t feel obliged to do something spectacular; just join in and be able to convey it on paper.”
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Whether applying for an internship, or other forms of work experience, knowing how to be successful proves a dilemma for all of us, particularly with such a high quality amongst applicants. An Exeter University student said, “I just have no idea what employers really want.” Ian Hodges, Careers Manager at Exeter University, recommends reading the placement description and applicant requirements very carefully. The employer will give details of what sort of person they want to recruit, detailing the skills required which they ask to be demonstrated on paper. Common desirable skills include problem solving, commercial awareness, communication skills and teamwork, and the employer wants the applicant to demonstrate experience in which they have developed those skills and prove that they have them.
Looking good on paper is a huge factor. But don’t worry girls, they understand that you can’t have all the experience in the world already, which is often why they aren’t going to ask too much of you – that is of course why you want an internship! But relevant experience both professionally and through volunteering and societies, is vital for a CV and the application procedure. Ian Hodges recommends using experiences and specifically matching them to the skill developed. Giving examples and identifying the skill is the trick. It’s all well and good you were a member of a society, but what skills did you learn that are beneficial to an employer?
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So does having an internship improve your job prospects? “It definitely increases your chances, but in other more commercial sectors employers can be more flexible.” The main message is, “find an internship if you can or try and get some sort of work placement. But if you can’t, don’t beat yourself up, just try and find some other sort of experience where you can gain useful skills which can be just as beneficially, and in some cases more so.”
The competition for internships can be more intense than fighting for a permanent job within the same company. “Sometimes people are rejected for an internship post, but are recommended to reapply for a permanent job in their final year.” Ideally, applying for a placement for the summer of your penultimate year will put you in with the best chance, as you have had opportunity to gain skills up until that point. Research and planning is key, with some firms having extremely early deadlines of October or November; definitely keep an eye on the application cut off if you have a certain internship in mind. Remember that most online applications are a long process and require a lot of time to fill in. Whilst you may be happy to do your formative essay the night before, the internship application may require a little more planning.
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But for some, the ideal career is still a distant thought; what do you do if you don’t know what you want to do as a career? Well work experience is definitely the best option. It allows you to try out different job opportunities and see whether or not you like the field. Exeter University student Kitty said “my work experience was good because it gave me a feel for the job and made me realise what I might want to do that ended up being slightly different from what I tried out”. Having a breadth of experience is ideal, but it is important to remember that when then applying for internships or jobs you must be focused on the application you are making. Competing against applicants who are certain will make even the slightest hesitation very clear and will not put you forward as a strong candidate. “If you are unsuccessful, just remember that any kind of experience is better than nothing at all”.
Internships can prove an excellent experience, and whilst in some cases they are almost vital to success, in many other areas they are not a necessity, with other options to gain work experience being just as desirable. Try to get involved in as many areas as possible to gain transferrable skills. Trying out different things will also allow you to learn what sort of work environment is best suited to you. It’s also important not to focus too much on big companies and firms, try out other less well known employers who’s placements are perhaps less competitive but can be just as useful to you. The internship is clearly not the be all and end all, and you should not necessarily feel the pressure to find one as there are many ways you can demonstrate your suitability and enthusiasm to employers.
Image credits: carmenwiki.osu.edu, inspiringinterns.com, sinc.co.uk, internship.transenter.com, faststream.civilservice.gov.uk