As a university student or graduate it is essential to focus on your career goals, putting aside enough time to pursue them. Internships are a fantastic way to start following these goals; you will learn more about the industry and career you are interested in, while gaining that all-important experience.

In fact, internships have many benefits. Here are a few:

  • Gaining real-world experience
  • Learning more about the industry, direct from employers
  • Boosting your CV
  • Developing skills and increasing your confidence
  • Gaining perspective on what you want to do with your career
  • Creating contacts and making the most of networking opportunities

An internship in an opportunity to discover more about the industry you’re interested in, and the variety of career paths that it can lead you towards. It may even lead to the offer of a permanent position.

Employers often use internships to assess an individual’s abilities with the intention of recruiting from their pool of interns. For the company, this means they have no need to advertise the vacancy, drastically reducing any time-consuming selection processes.

It is not guaranteed that an internship will result in a permanent job offer – however, if you prove to the employer that you have the right skills, showing professionalism and a willingness to learn, it could lead to a wealth of opportunities.

Be enthusiastic and make sure the employer is aware of the fact that you wish to become an employee - while you’re interning, enquire about potential progression within the company.

When looking for an internship:

  • Think about what you want to get out of the experience
  • Consider what type of organisation you would like to intern for
  • Think about the skills you would like to develop
  • Do not limit your applications to well-known companies
  • Prepare your CV and cover letter and go through mock interview questions

Be persistent when applying for internships. If you are not successful at first, re-apply in future. Assess what you need to improve and this will increase your chances the next time around. Take a look at our blog post for more tips on how to secure an internship.

 

Career support is also just an email away. To get more advice, email us at: careers@lcca.org.uk.