Broaden your horizons with a summer internship
Published on 3 November 16
It may be getting colder and darker as the winter months are closing in, but it's never too early to think about what you'll be doing next summer. Many big employers have already opened their applications for 2017 summer internships – and will start to close them towards the end of November – but why should you consider an internship?
What is an internship?
Really, an “internship” is just a period of work experience. We’re focusing on the traditional internship usually lasting 8-12 weeks in the summer vacation, but they can also be anything from a two-week opportunity to a year-long full-time position. You can find out about more about different types of internships and placements on our website.
Everyone should be able to gain essential work experience without having to worry about whether or not they can afford it, so a good internship is one that is paid at the national minimum wage or above. We do not endorse unpaid internships. During an internship you will be doing similar work to a normal employee of the organisation, giving you a taste of what graduate work is like while helping you to make industry contacts. Many internship opportunities advertised by large graduate recruiters are aimed at pre-final year students, but smaller businesses often offer internship opportunities that do not stipulate your year of study.
Some employers use student internships and placements as a means of recruiting graduates to full-time roles, using them as a fast track onto their graduate programmes. For many students, an internship in their final year can lead to a full time job when they finish.
One of our graduates, Todd Davies, found a summer internship with Google and has now managed to secure a permanent graduate job with them. You can read about his experience on our blog.
What will I gain from an internship?
Getting work experience while you study will help you to gain the skills employers are looking for. New research asked 80 HR managers to identify the main drivers for young professionals’ career growth. The three main drivers for career success were:
- working outside of your comfort zone;
- gaining broad experience;
- and networking.
Of course technical skills are still important, but an internship will really help you to develop a diverse skillset, gain broad experience, and build your resilience by working outside of your comfort zone. You’ll be ahead of the competition as you’ll learn how to work successfully with colleagues from different backgrounds, develop broad skills, flexibility, be challenged and broaden your horizons.
Interning during university holidays is a good way to make industry contacts before graduating, and above all allows you to try something new.
It’s not even Christmas yet – so why now?
Most large or multinational organisations start advertising in October for students to work the following summer, so now is the time to start searching and applying for opportunities for summer 2017! Many vacancies will begin closing in November, and some may even close before their advertised date if they have enough applications, so don’t leave it too late.
Smaller employers, however, often advertise right up until the summer period so don’t panic if you don’t have anything sorted straight away.
Where can I find a summer internship?
- We post opportunities as and when we hear about them in our Summer Internships Facebook group. Join the group to stay up-to-date.
- You can find hundreds of opportunities with companies both big and small, and in a variety of sectors, on CareersLink. Just log in with your student details.
- Job sites such as Monster or Reed can be useful places to find an internship, and InternAvenue and Graduate Talent Pool are designed specifically to advertise paid internships.
- If you’re interested in a specific company, make sure you check out their website for opportunities.
- Keep an eye out for our very own Summer Experience Internships programme launching in February, offering second year undergraduates paid internships within the University and with local charities and not-for-profits.
Don’t forget that The Careers Service is available to help you in your search for an internship. As well as general advice on where to look, we can help you to write a strong application and prepare for an interview. Just drop in to the Atrium in University Place, or get in touch.