It's probably safe to assume that if you've made the jump to commit to a few years study at university (not to mention some serious cash) you're going to want to nab a job when you graduate. There's just one problem. You're facing a tonne of competition. So you're going to need to find a way to stand out from the bazillions (technical term) of other people who'll be looking for a job at the exact same time as you. Phew.
Internships are a great way to bridge the gap between your education and a real-life-grown-up job and I've rounded up a bunch of reasons why you should consider sending out some applications!
1. Love or hate
You'll definitely find out if you really love or hate something. You might have a pretty clear idea of the kind of role and industry you want to reach for - but how do you know if that's really going to be right for you? Getting yourself out there and giving something a go will guide you towards what you're good at and, most importantly, what you enjoy.
2. Networking
You'll build up a network of contacts. This is without a doubt the most important one for me. You know that old saying "it's not what you know it's who you know"? - well I've found it be 100% true. Meeting people creates opportunities. Get in front of as many people as possible and show 'em what you've got.
3. You'll gain skills
From navigating the surprisingly complex world of email etiquette to more specialised training, chances are you're going to leave your internship much more skilled than when you started.
4. Your employability
Those new skills I just mentioned? Well they'll make sure your CV has way more impact in the stack that potential employers will be sifting through. But more than that, you'll have fine tuned your professional communication skills so your interview technique will be on point.
5. Experiences are everything
During my time interning I ended up at film premieres, nabbed free tickets to Disneyland and spent time training at Google with YouTube - which as a big digital geek was too exciting. Work hard and say yes to every opportunity that comes your way and you never know what might crop up for you!
If you fancy nabbing yourself an internship but don't really know where to start then Rate My Placement and Target Jobs are a couple of good websites to check out. Go get 'em!
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