How to get an internship

We live in a competitive world, especially when it comes to getting a job so it makes sense that you want to grab at any opportunity to give yourself an edge.

Internships are one such way to get yourself noticed when applying for a job. True, you won’t find one for every industry – they are more common amongst marketing and financial institutions, however, should you find one you’re interested in, we recommend giving them a try.

With an internship in your CV arsenal, the work experience you’ll have acquired will make you more appealing than other graduates.

Yet, how can you get one? How can you effectively use an internship to boost your education, CV and experience levels?

Step One: Speak to your instructor/lecturer
There is no harming in asking if your lecturer knows of any suitable opportunities, especially if you’re a university student. Many have got contacts with employers which they can easily pass onto you/use to help you get an internship.
Likewise, it is worth speaking to your personal connections to see if they know of any organisations offering them. Not only can they put in a good word for you, they can help introduce to the business.

Step Two: Use internship sites and databases
On top of step one, you should also start searching for internships on dedicated websites and databases. Milkround is a popular UK site which lists graduate jobs and placements. Similarly, you can try browsing on TARGET jobs to see what placements, internships and graduate jobs they’ve got available.

• NOTE ONE: if you haven’t gone to university or you’ve been out of education for a while, then you can look on Studentjob. Here, you will find opportunities to gain more experience and make connections without having to attend university;
• NOTE TWO: if you’re interested in getting an internship abroad, then we suggest looking on Prospects. Here you will find loads of international internships. Just bear in mind that many international internships come with administrative fees and costs for room and board.

Step Three: Consider independent internships
Abroad or UK, it may be possible to arrange independent internships by directly contacting companies who interest you. True, there is a higher chance of them saying no, but you may be surprised by how many companies are willing to take you on.

Getting an internship is just one of many ways that you can improve your skill set and increase your chances of getting your dream job. So if you’re looking to bolster your CV and enhance your employability, then why not combine your internship dreams with an online course? Combined, you’ll have a greater edge over other applicants.

To find out more, visit our website.