Internships

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Internships

• David Henderson
• d.m.henderson_at_durham.ac.uk
• Durham University Careers Advisory Service

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Content

• What is an Internship?
• Why should I consider an Internship?
• Getting Started!
• Where are Internships advertised?
• How do I apply?
• What are the alternatives to an Internship?

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What is an Internship?

• a structured programme of work experience
• often salaried but not always!
• normally lasting between four and twelve weeks
• usually offered by companies which take on large
  numbers of graduates (e.g. retailers, investment
  banks, accountants, professional services, IT
  firms)

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What is an Internship?

• employers offer internships as part of their
  overall graduate recruitment strategy.
• primarily for penultimate year students
• the application process is normally the same as
  for a graduate position and they are highly
  competitive.
• generally advertised from November until March
  although some have closing dates as early as
  November/December.

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What is an Internship?

• Opportunities exist in a range of job roles and
  sectors
• Finance
• Marketing
• Sales
• Engineering
• Property
• Hospitality, Leisure Tourism
• Scientific Research Development
• Political, Social Economic Research
• IT
• HR
• Logistics
• Procurement
• Administration
• Retail
• Public Sector

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Who offers Internships?

• usually offered by companies which take on large
  numbers of graduates (e.g. retailers, investment
  banks, accountants, professional services,
  management consultants, IT firms, FMCG,
  Pharmaceutical, Engineering etc)
• Law Firms (Vacation Schemes)
• Internships also available in other sectors of
  employment but not always salaried (e.g. Media
  organisations, NGOs, Marketing Advertising
  Agencies, Publishers)
• It is possible to have an internship with an SME

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Who offers Internships?

• Accenture Consultancy
• BAE Systems Engineering
• Centrica Utility
• Enterprise Rent-A-Car Car rental company
• IBM IT Consultancy
• Lidl Retail
• Marks Spencers Retail
• Matchtech Recruitment
• Nestle Food Beverage
• PWC Professional Services
• Proctor Gamble Household Personal Goods
• JP Morgan Investment Banking

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What will I do?

• typically, the employer identifies a project
  similar to the sort of work you would do if you
  joined as a graduate trainee
• deliver presentations to clients/senior
  management
• work alongside professionals/graduate trainees

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Why Should I consider an Internship?

• A degree is not enough
• Overcrowded graduate job market need to stand
  out
• Evidence of transferable skills
• Specific career experience
• Commercial experience

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Why Should I consider an Internship?

• Insight/Career research
• Opportunity to do something different
• References
• Networking/Contacts
• Confidence Personal Development Self
  Awareness
• Route to a graduate job
• NecessaryBanking?

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Where to start?

• What do I want to get out of it?
• e.g. develop particular skills/make a
  contribution/enhance graduate prospects/specific
  career experience
• Career focus?
• Sector Focus? e.g. Voluntary sector, Public
  sector, Finance, Publishing etc
• Employer Focus?
• Opportunity Focus?

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Where are Internships advertised?

• Opportunities are advertised on Employer
  websites use employer directories (e.g. Times
  100/Best Companies/Yellow Pages) or professional
  organisations to identify companies that reflect
  your career interests
• Careers Advisory Service website
• (www.durham.ac.uk/careers-advice)
• www.work-placement.co.uk
• Graduate employment websites (finance, law,
  science, business focus)
• (www.prospects.ac.uk / www.targetjobs.co.uk
• www.insidecareers.co.uk)
• Career Fairs
• Networking/Contacts
• Direct Approach- speculative application!

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How do I apply?

• Normally online application form but you also may
  be asked to upload your CV
• Competency based questions
• Company specific questions
• Career specific questions
• CV Covering letter
• 1 or 2 page CV
• Covering letter should clearly address your
  interest in the internship (career) and the
  organisation as well as your suitability

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How do I apply?

• Key points!
• Research is the key to successtoo easy to
  rephrase company literature (attend
  presentations, speak to alumni, read
  journals/financial press)
• Find out as much as you can about the nature of
  the internship and the career opportunities
  available
• When answering competency questions be as
  analytical as possible avoid narrative, briefly
  outline situation but focus on what you did (how
  you did it) and the outcome of your action
• Do not refer to we, particularly in the context
  of team questions they want to know specifically
  about your contribution
• Draw upon a range of experiences
• Answer the question fully (particularly
  multi-faceted questions)
• Get someone else to read through your application
  form or covering letter support from the Careers
  Advisory Service!

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How do I apply?

• Why are you interested in an internship with...?
• What do you expect to do as an Intern?
• Why are you interested in a career in
  audit/marketing/HR/sales...?
• What is your greatest achievement and why?
• When have you been part of a succesful team? What
  was your role and what contribution did you make?
  
• What has been your most difficult decision? How
  did you arrive at a decision?

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What happens next?

• Selection process echoes that of
• graduate recruitment
• Online assessment (numerical/verbal reasoning
  test)
• Telephone interview
• First round interview
• Assessment Centre (group exercise, case studies,
  psychometric tests)
• Interview(s) Competency, technical/commercial

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What are the alternatives to Internships?

• Internships are highly competitive but they are
  not
• the only means by which to obtain highly valuable
  
• experience
• Work Experience
• Work Shadowing/Work Tasters
• Voluntary Work
• Part-time and Casual Work
• Working Holidays

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Work Experience

• Often unpaid but not always
• Expenses at least usually covered
• Length of opportunity dependent on employer
• Opportunity to develop sector specific experience
• Opportunity to develop transferable skills
• Refer to careers/recruitment section of employer
  websites
• Speculative applications most common means of
  arranging work experience

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Work Experience

• Structured work experience schemes
• e.g. BBC, Civil Service
• Advertised work experience opportunities
• e.g. CAS website
• Professional Bodies/Sector specific recruitment
  sites
• e.g. Refer to Prospects website
  (www.prospects.ac.uk)
• Self-arranged opportunities
• e.g. work shadowing/work placements

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Work Experience

• Politics
• www.electus-start.com / www.w4mp.org
• Advertising
• www.ipa.co.uk (list of companies offering work
  experience)
• Science
• www.naturejobs.com (search for summer
  opportunities)
• Health Care
• NHS Local Champions
• Environment
• www.environmentjobs.co.uk
• General Opportunities
• Refer to CAS website

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Work Experience

• CAS contacts Alumni Local Employers
• Networking Employer Presentations/Career
  Fairs/Skills Sessions
• Personal/Family contacts

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Internships/Work Experience

• www.work-experience.org
• www.e4s.co.uk
• www.talentladder.com
• www.internjobs.com
• www.step.org.uk
• www.get.hobsons.co.uk/advice/work-experience
• http//targetjobs.co.uk/graduate-jobs/
• www.insidecareers.co.uk
• www.dur.ac.uk/careers-advice/vacancies
• www.lawcareers.net

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Other Types of Work Experience

• Salaried Opportunities
• Summer Programmes - STEP
• Casual Work/Agency Work
• Work Travel

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STEP

• Shell Technology Enterprise Programme
• UK-wide programme offering undergraduates
  project-based work experience in SMEs
• Penultimate year students
• Available throughout the UK
• 8 week paid project (190 per week) involving a
  variety of work areas
• Apply via www.shellstep.org.uk

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Agency Work/Casual Work

• Temporary paid work experience/employment
• Local jobs papers/Student Job Shops/Speculative
• www.durham.ac.uk/ses
• Usually need prior work experience
• Contact recruitment agencies
• www.jobseekers-uk.com
• Internet job sites
• e.g. www.summerjobs4students.co.uk - general
• www.labsupport.co.uk - specific
• Working in a bar, factory or a shop a useful
  source of evidence when documenting transferable
  skills!

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Part-time/Casual Employment

• www.nases.org.uk
• www.durham.ac.uk/ses
• www.morethanwork.net
• www.jobcentreplus.gov.uk
• www.hotrecruit.com
• www.summerjobs4students.co.uk
• www.justjobs4students.co.uk
• www.jobseekers-uk.com
• www.fish4.co.uk/iad/jobs

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Paid Work International

• Schemes facilitating overseas employment e.g.
  BUNAC
• Teaching e.g. British Council
• Holiday employment e.g. Tourism Industry,
  Agriculture, Au Pair
• Agencies e.g. www.resortjobs.co.uk
• Summer Camps e.g. Camp America

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Working Holidays/Working Abroad

• www.bunac.org / www.campamerica.co.uk
• www.campleaders.com
• www.kcjobs.org
• www.ccusa.com
• www.owh.com.au
• www.workingabroad.com
• www.teaching-abroad.co.uk
• www.payaway.co.uk
• www.ciee.org
• www.anyworkanywhere.com
• www.voovs.com
• www.fruitfuljobs.com
• www.dur.ac.uk/careers-advice/vacancies

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Volunteering

• Further source of relevant work experience but
  also opportunity to undertake specific role
  and/or work in a particular capacity
• Develop transferable skills and personal
  qualities
• Contribution to the welfare and development of
  others
• Make a tangible difference
• Work at your pace/convenience

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Volunteering

• Volunteering Organisations
• e.g. CSV, SCA, Volunteer England
• Specific Charities
• refer to Voluntary Agencies Directory
• Employers/Organisations that rely on voluntary
  support
• e.g. Health Trusts, Local Authorities
• Experience crucial if considering opportunities
  in the not for profit sector
• Support employment/postgraduate study prospects
  e.g. Health sector, Teaching, Public Sector,
  Social Care etc

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Volunteering

• Vast range of opportunities
• Youth Community work
• e.g. Local Authority
• Environment/Conservation
• e.g. National Trust/Wildlife Trust
• Health Sector
• e.g. Care Homes, Charities (Cancer Research,
  Mind)
• Heritage/Museum Work
• e.g. English Heritage Education Volunteers

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Volunteering

• www.volunteering.org.uk
• www.do-it.org.uk
• www.ncvo-vol.org.uk
• www.csv.org.uk
• www.charityjobs.co.uk
• www.charitypeople.com
• www.dur.ac.uk/community.action (Student Community
  Action)

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Volunteering - Internationally

• GAP year projects
• Travellers Worldwide, Greenforce, Raleigh
  International
• Combination of travel project based activities
• Wide variety of opportunities e.g. conservation,
  community work, teaching, journalism
• Financial implications 10 weeks Raleigh
  International 2995

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Volunteering Internationally

• Volunteer Organisations/NGOs
• Amnesty International, Red Cross, Merlin, WWF
• Project/cause specific
• Relevant skills and experience but not always
• e.g. Development in Action recruiting for a 2
  month voluntary placement in India. No specific
  experience required.
• Domestic opportunities with NGOs
• e.g. research internships, administration,
  information management

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Volunteering Internationally

• www.wse.org.uk
• www.yearoutgroup.org
• www.gapyear.com
• www.worldwidevolunteering.org.uk
• www.teaching-abroad.co.uk
• www.experiencedevelopment.org
• www.bond.org.uk
• www.idealist.org
• www.oneworld.net
• www.charityjobs.co.uk
• www.workingabroad.com

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Final thoughts

• Once you have decided on the manner in which you
  would like
• to make the most of your vacations
• Identify relevant employers/organisations/public
  bodies etc (use resources within CAS e.g. Summer
  Jobs Britain, check employer/organisation/professi
  onal body websites, use generic websites
  identified in this talk, CAS website)
• Be aware of early closing dates
• Research opportunities and application process
  (online, CV Covering Letter etc)
• Speculative approach CV, Friends Family,
  Networking
• Access support available through CAS

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Final thoughts

• Document your activities
• Relate activities to transferable skills
  demonstrated e.g. teamwork, problem solving,
  communication, initiative etc
• Reflection what motivated/excited you.
  Learning outcomes.
• Marketing your experience to employers

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and dont forget

• Any experience, no matter how small, is useful
• It is okay to mix and match your experiences e.g.
  volunteering and work tasters
• And finally...it is okay to have fun during your
  summer too!
• Happy Holidays!

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How Can CAS Help

• Some sources of information
• AGCAS publications Working Abroad, Voluntary
  Sector
• NCVO Voluntary Agencies Directory
• Charities Digest
• International Development Directory
• International Directory of Voluntary Work,
  Victoria Pybus
• Working in Development
• Teaching English Abroad
• Working Your Way Around the World
• Summer Jobs Britain
• Summer Jobs Abroad
• World Wide Volunteering database
• Vacancy Service/Employer files contacts
• Job Shop
• www.prospects.ac.uk
• Opportunities Fair - June
• Insight Into Management 2008

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How Can CAS Help

• Advice Guidance
• Publications
• Careers information
• Employer information
• Information on work study abroad
• Information on postgraduate study
• Information and advice on job search
• Employer presentations
• Employer fairs
• Computer aided help Prospects Planner
• Careers talks/workshops

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• Careers Advisory Service
• University of Durham
• 49 New Elvet
• Durham
• DH1 3PF
• Tel [phone]
• careers-advice_at_durham.ac.uk
• www.dur.ac.uk/careers-advice
• DUO Careers Tab
• Monday to Friday
• 10am 5pm (term time)
• 10am 1pm and 2.15pm 5pm (vacations)

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Questions?