Why being an intern is super important

Most of the graduates we work with have some work experience, ranging from gap year voluntary work, part-time bar work during University and spending a week or two in an office one summer, right through to formal internship programmes. 

Occasionally, I meet someone who doesn’t and my advice is to get some – quickly!

Internships, particularly the 12-week type run by big banks, law firms and professional services companies, are de rigueur. But with very good reason. 

They’re great for hiring managers, because they provide a tried and tested pipeline of new talent, and they’re fantastic for students in the midst of their degrees because they get a genuine and comprehensive oversight of a particular organisation and industry, as well as something concrete to put on their CV. Recruiters will be impressed by the fact they’ve passed a rigorous application procedure and completed a lengthy programme in which they’re expected to produce actual, value-add work.  

It’s a no-brainer, right? So why then do we see so many graduate clients without solid professional experience on their CV? 

The application process

The application process is hard! It’s usually multi-stage, can include psychometric tests as well as interviews, and the percentage of accepted candidates is small. You also need a fair amount of organisational skills to meet the application deadlines for various companies and will need to prepare for interviews with them. Don’t let that put you off. The success rate is low but there’s no reason why you won’t be one of the chosen. Work hard on your application, making sure you are completely clear on why you want to work for each organisation, and follow their submission process exactly.  

The lack of a summer holiday

We get it. You’ve slogged all year and want a summer off, before you land your first job and have to apply for annual leave forevermore. The good news is that internships come in all shapes and sizes, ranging from about four to 12 weeks, with some companies offering them outside of the summer (spring and winter), and in different locations across the UK. Also, you’d be surprised by the number of interns who truly love their experience. They learn huge amounts, make some valuable contacts, great friends, and quite possibly end up with a guaranteed job at the end of their degree. 

The unpaid internship

A long-standing criticism of internships is that they preclude students who can’t afford a period of weeks or months unpaid. Under existing laws, it is now much more difficult for businesses not to pay their interns or pay under the national living wage. There are certain circumstances where they’re not obliged and this includes work placements as part of higher education, work shadowing schemes, and in some cases, for charities or voluntary organisations. You can read more about this here: https://www.gov.uk/employment-rights-for-interns. Remember, most reputable organisations will pay their interns and will be explicit about this at application stage.

The uncertainty factor

I’ve had several clients tell me they’ve steered clear of internships because they’re not sure of their career direction yet and don’t want to get pigeon-holed by recruiters after graduation because of undertaking internships in particular industries. This won’t happen. If you do a banking internship and then decide you want to go into advertising, the fact you’ve spent a summer working will only be seen as a positive, as long as you are clear about your reasons for the change in direction. It’s fine to mix up your internships and work experience too – a summer in audit, spring in marketing and winter in tech!

What if you don’t get one?

Don’t fret! Not everyone lands a major internship and it’s not a deal breaker as long as you still have other professional experience on your CV. Utilise your networks and contacts, contact hiring managers of smaller organisations, and talk to your University careers service about work experience. Most importantly, wherever you go, speak to the organisation about delivering a real piece of work, rather than simply shadowing staff members. If you can demonstrate how you provided real value you’ll be viewed favourably by future recruiters and it might just give you the edge you need.