When I was an undergraduate I used to turn my journalistic bent towards contributing articles, interviews and reviews to various printed and online publications. I always considered this a hobby rather than a gateway to the industry, nevertheless I was shocked when an acquaintance, working as freelance writer, told me “you won’t get anywhere like that. You should never work for free. It means you’re cheap.”
Today that statement sounds very dated indeed. Nowadays, no matter what industry you’d like to break into after completing your studies, it’s almost certain that, without having undertaken some form of internship or work placement, you won’t be getting too far. For many people this will involve working for free.
It has even been argued that certain sections of the media depend on the unpaid labor of eager young interns to survive. This may seem harsh, but the fact is many companies now only recruit their own interns into entry level positions and, when looking through job adds, you’ll find that in sectors as diverse as advertising, PR, graphic design and journalism, employers are asking for a wealth experience, even from candidates looking at low level jobs.
The fierce competition for these jobs has had a knock-on effect on the way internships and work placements work. A decade or so ago you’d have been in with a shot of getting a placement at a decent firm with a speculative letter. These days many big name companies have incredibly lengthy processes for taking on interns.
So, when you are lucky enough to get such a placement, you should be sure to get the most out of it. Fortunately, there is much more to be gained from the experience than any meager remuneration. Here is a simple guide on how to go about it:
Focus on Your Area of Interest
Many internships for large companies are planned so as to provide you with experience in all the different areas of the firms operations. However, at smaller organizations you may find yourself responsible for making sure you get to work in the area that you’re most interested in. If you don’t know what that is yet, fair enough. If you do, you should make it clear from the outset.
One great way of doing this is asking to shadow the person doing the job you are most interested in. If you state your intentions at the start, your employers will very often want to work things around you, perhaps making that person your mentor.
You should be open to trying out different things though. One of the advantages of only being in your placement for a limited time is that it frees you up to explore different avenues.
Ask and You Shall Receive
Remember that, although you are working for little or no money, you are actually creating extra costs for the company and eating in to the time of whoever is supervising you. Thinking up tasks to give you that will be useful to both the company and to you is actually very time consuming, so help out with it. If you think there is something you could do, ask to be given the chance. If you over hear a colleague muttering about how much they have to do, offer to take some off their hands.
Likewise, be sure to ask to attend any out of office events, meetings or seminars that are going on. Don’t assume that because you haven’t been told to go, that you can’t, often it just won’t have occurred to your supervisor(s) to take you as, generally, they have more pressing matters on their mind.
Take the Initiative
Very often it takes an outsider’s perspective to notice very simple but extremely beneficial changes that could be made to a company’s procedures. As a fresh pair of eyes your unique take on things could be what separates you from the crowd, so long as you find an appropriate way of framing your observations. The last thing you want is to seem brash and arrogant but, if you have an insight, share it. Don’t sit around waiting to be asked, because that probably won’t happen.
Again, if you find yourself bored or with nothing to do, seize the moment, ask for more work or create your own by embarking on a small project off your own back.
Make Contacts
‘It’s not what you know, it’s who you know’- an old expression that, fortunately, is becoming less relevant. The best employers will always be most concerned with what you know. However knowing the right people can be your gateway to a wealth of inside knowledge.
Ask as many questions as you can of the people around you. How did they get to where they are? What trade press to they read? What events do they go to? Even finding out where professionals in your chosen industry like to socialize can be a powerful tool.
Take note of the office atmosphere and company culture, these can be a good indicator of the way things are throughout the industry.
Even if you find your internship is not to your liking, don’t burn your bridges. Always present yourself in the best light possible. I had a friend who did an internship at a marketing agency and hated it, but got on well with the PR accounts manager. He stayed in touch with her over Facebook and, as a result, when she moved job, he was able to get experience at an agency he much preferred, who know employ him full time.
Tangible Achievements
Make sure you have something tangible to show for your time and effort. As you work think how each skill you learn and each project you work on will translate onto your CV. For example, if you’re working in events management use the details of the event to build your CV. If it gains press coverage perhaps you can save the clippings for your portfolio.
Get the Balance Right
You should be prepared to ‘pay your dues’ and to make a lot of coffee but, unless you’re interning at Starbucks, you should be aware that that isn’t why you’re there. The best way to achieve this balance is to knuckle down and plough through the stuff your not interested in. This will prove you are up to facing a challenge, therefore your more likely to be given interesting and relevant work.
About the author: Harry Henderson has worked as a careers advisor at top universities in the UK and Australia. Now he spends much of his time helping people in their job search efforts, giving them the best chance of landing their dream role.
Credits: Photo courtesy of Carl Dwyer.