The University of Kent
Careers & Employability Service
Summer Vacation Experience Internships and Beyond
24th January 2013
The slides from this presentation are available
at www.kent.ac.uk/careers/slides.htm
What is an internship?
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Short-term position, usually in summer
vacation
Career-related
Usually (but not always) restricted to
penultimate-year students
Structured
Aims to give a taste of the work you would be
doing as a graduate recruit – and to
encourage you to apply in your final year!
Why do an internship?
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Gives you better idea of career options
Increases business awareness
Improves your chances of being offered
a graduate position with that employer
Makes you more attractive to other
employers
Demonstrates work-related skills
What skills do employers look for in
graduates?
VERBAL COMMUNICATION
Able to express your ideas clearly and confidently in speech
TEAMWORK
Work confidently within a group
COMMERCIAL AWARENESS
Understand the commercial realities affecting the organisation.
ANALYSING & INVESTIGATING
Gathering information systematically to establish facts &
principles and solve problems
INITIATIVE/SELF MOTIVATION
Able to act on initiative, identify opportunities & put forward
ideas & solutions
Do you need to do an internship?
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Any work experience can help to develop your
people, teamwork or organising skills, or just make
your CV more interesting
This does not have to be formally designated as an
“internship” or be in the field where you hope to
work as a graduate
For example: work with children; customer service
and sales work; work abroad; voluntary work
Getting a junior role in an organisation can help you
to get a different perspective and make contacts
What will employers think?
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“Volunteering is well regarded: candidates
are given a higher score within the
recruitment process if they have done
volunteering”
(Large accountancy firm)
“We are aware that students can’t always
afford to spend a month doing unpaid work
experience or shadowing, therefore we value
other activities like stacking supermarket
shelves”
(Law firm)
Some employers with internships still
available (most open to students in any subject)
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Lloyds Banking Group (General Management, HR)
http://www.lloydsbankinggrouptalent.com/
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Pricewaterhousecoopers
www.pwc.com/uk/en/careers/student/careers/undergraduate/insightinternship.jhtml
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Bloomberg
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Telefonica
http://jobs.bloomberg.com/go/discover-ourinternships/356768/
https://telefonicagraduates.amris.com/wizards_v2/telefonicagraduates/v
acancySearch.php
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HP
visit www.hp.co.uk/jobs and search reference 1041712 for Sales,
1041715 for Marketing and 1041716 for IT
Student experiences …
“The
tasks I was able to complete within
just a few weeks ranged from running
charts, creating and updating quarterly
reports and summarising the latest
economic and investment research for
colleagues ”
(Mercer Investment Consulting intern)
Student experiences …
“I
did an internship at the branch in
Reading and had real responsibilities
from day one. In my second week, I was
organising team meetings. By the end of
my stay there, I had been placed in
charge of customer satisfaction”
(HSBC summer intern, now Executive
Management trainee)
Some employers who offer internships:
Law
For listings of firms offering law placements, and
vacation scheme deadlines, see:
Law Careers Net www.lawcareers.net
Many deadlines coming up at the end of January:
others in February or March
Most law firms are keen to recruit graduates in subjects other
than law, but non-law students may not be eligible to apply
for a vacation scheme until their final year.
Student experiences …
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“I helped to compile a report for the
Competitions Commission and had to do
some research on pubs! In the
commercial department I helped draft
some terms and conditions and attended
client meetings .. the work I was given
was always appropriate for someone who
had not done a law degree”
Some employers who offer internships :
Research
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Roke Manor Research
www.roke.co.uk/jobs/undergraduates.php
DSTL (Defence Science and Technology Laboratory)
https://www.dstl.gov.uk/pages/158
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Universities, e.g. Birkbeck www.bbk.ac.uk/biology/prospectivestudents/internships, Nottingham http://bit.ly/bkgw5j
MBDA www.mbdacareers.co.uk/graduateProfile.jsp?g=8
Biosciences
www.bioscience.heacademy.ac.uk/ftp/events/dlforum07/studentships.pdf
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Physics http://bit.ly/v7S4yz
Student experiences …
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“In my project, I cloned the Dyt1 gene to
make a fusion protein GST, expressed it
in bacteria and attempted to purify it. I
learnt many new skills, including a formal
course in confocal microscopy that will
help me directly in the future in a career
in science. ”
(Summer student, London Research Institute,
Cancer Research UK)
Some more employers who offer
internships – or other work experience:
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BBC – all areas, from production to finance
http://www.bbc.co.uk/careers/work-experience/
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Centrica www.centrica.com/index.asp?pageid=952
Four Communications
www.fourcommunications.com/jobs_internships.php
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Pearson Diversity Summer Internships (Business &
Journalism) http://summerinternships.pearson.com/
Penguin Publishing (closing date 15th February)
http://gs12.globalsuccessor.com/fe/tpl_penguin01.asp?newms=info04
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Metaswitch Networks
www.metaswitch.com/careers/internships/undergraduate/
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Swire http://www.swire.com/internship/
Student experiences …
“I did a couple of weeks work experience on Dragons'
Den while I was still at university and I got the chance to
do a variety of things. I dealt with applications, sought
free press to advertise we were looking for applicants,
looked for new entrepreneurs on the internet, and
learned how to use a DV camera to film auditions
(something I had never done before because I hadn't
done a practical media course). After I graduated, they
rang me to come back to do a couple of weeks casual
work for Mastermind and this has since been extended “
BBC runner
‘STEP CLASSIC’ PROGRAMME
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http://www.step.org.uk/step_classic.aspx
8 week summer placement programme for 2nd year
undergraduates.
Placements in small/medium organisations in all sectors
Project work that will help these organisations to
develop.
Pay: about £217 per week
“In 2013 we anticipate a lot of opportunities in science,
technology and engineering disciplines. However there
will also be opportunities to gain more general business
experience”
Student experiences …
“I was placed with a construction company, an
industry I would never have considered looking into.
The internship was really inspiring; my role involved
taking control of a project. I had to carry out market
research to identify new business opportunities within
the company's business development team, gaining
valuable experience and useful industry contacts”
(Environmental Science and International Development student,
now running a social enterprise company)
Other career areas
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Not all potential graduate recruiters
offer “internships” …
… although many do offer careerrelated work experience
… even though this may not be
advertised widely (or advertised at all)
… and could be unpaid
Other employers
Summer Visitor Services at
Buckingham Palace?
http://bit.ly/XjwroH
Cancer Research UK
Summer Internships
http://supportus.cancerres
earchuk.org/volunteer/inter
nship-scheme/
The Creative Career Search
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To get work experience in advertising,
TV, film, journalism, public relations, etc
… you need to make the first approach
… and to be persistent
See www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sk/CJ.htm
for more advice and information
Getting a work placement is just
the beginning …
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When you do obtain work experience,
be willing to help out no matter how
challenging or menial the task.
Talk to everyone, and get yourself
known so that they remember you.
Be yourself, friendly and approachable
Finding Local Employers
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Employers often prefer local graduates
for placements:
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No accommodation worries
May want to work in the area after
graduation
Kent – includes KentGrads database
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/kentopps.htm
Elsewhere in the UK
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/sitesgen.htm
How to apply
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CV and covering letter – speculative applications
and small companies.
Application form – usually online for major
graduate recruiters
You need to put as much time and effort
into applying for an internship as you
would to apply for a permanent position
For help see
www.kent.ac.uk/careers/applicn.htm
Finding out about internships and
other summer work experience
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Careers & Employability Service Vacancy
Database www.prospects.kent.ac.uk
Speculative applications
Graduate directories and websites e.g.
Prospects.ac.uk and Target http://targetjobs.co.uk
National Council for Work Experience
www.work-experience.org
RateMyPlacement www.ratemyplacement.co.uk
#ratemyplacement
Other points
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Get actively involved in University
life, so that you have evidence of
teamwork, organising, leadership etc.
skills for your CV
Apply soon – there are many closing
dates at the end of January!
Ask a careers or employability
adviser
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A Duty Adviser is available to help with
queries between 10.30 am - 12.30 p.m.
and 2.00 - 4.00 p.m. every weekday
Quick queries only (up to 15 minutes)
No appointment needed - just drop in
For longer or more detailed discussions,
book an appointment
www.kent.ac.uk/ces/advice.html
Where to find the Careers & Employability Service
Opening Hours:
9-5, Mon - Fri