How to get an internship

Internships can help you get workplace experience, make connections in your industry, and are often flexible enough to fit around your studies. This guide breaks down what you need to know about what they really are, and how to get one.

What is an internship?

Essentially, an internship is a fixed-term work experience aimed specifically at students or graduates. Businesses often provide these short-term positions to give students a chance to learn about the industry. In some fields, like law and finance, they can be a pretty direct route to eventually being hired by that company – but that's not necessarily guaranteed.

Internships can run from just a few weeks right up to a full year depending on the sector, company, and role. As a student, you may find that most internship opportunities will be quite short, perhaps running during your summer holidays. Graduate internships are usually a bit longer. However, both can give you the chance to work towards professional accreditation.

In some instances, you’ll be entitled to at least minimum wage while you’re working, provided you’re performing the role of a worker. However, if you’re just shadowing someone, working for a charity, or doing it as part of your university programme, you probably won’t get paid a wage or salary, though you may be reimbursed for travel expenses.
 

Why are internships important?

These days, employers place a lot of emphasis on experience when hiring for jobs. As a student or recent graduate, this can be frustrating. You might struggle to get a job without experience, but how do you get experience without a job? Internships are a way to bridge that gap. 

Internships can also be a bit like a taster for a particular role or industry. They’re a chance to figure out what day-to-day life in the field you’re interested in is like, and whether you think it will really be a good fit for you. Sometimes, an internship might make you realise that a job you thought you wanted isn’t a great fit – and that’s still a really valuable experience! 

In an internship, you’ll have the chance to be trained and mentored by industry professionals. It’s a great opportunity to learn as much as you can, and to get to know people who might someday be your colleagues in the field. Mentoring relationships that begin during internships can sometimes last for years. 
 

How to get an internship

Sometimes internships are built into your university or college programme. In these instances, it’s just a case of confirming the exact details of your placement. But if you have to seek out your own opportunities, here’s how you can get started:

• Talk to your teachers. Your school or college careers service or adviser is there to help you find out information about a range of prospects, including internships. Drop in and have a chat with them early on in your search. Teachers, friends, and family members can also be useful people to ask – you’ll be surprised by the connections people have!
   
• Visit job fairs. Universities and large businesses will often host job fairs aimed at attracting new talent. These can be excellent places to make connections and find out about upcoming internships that you can apply for. Join Unifrog's Talent pool to start getting noticed and receiving updates on opportunities like these.
   
• Search online. Search for professional organisations and associations related to the field you want to go into. They often offer information on internships and positions that might be of interest to you. You can also look directly at the websites for companies you think you might like to work for, to see what kinds of internship opportunities they provide. Unifrog's Uni & Employer library is a helpful place to start.
   
• Get your CV or resume up to speed. Before you've even found your ideal internship, it's a good idea to have your CV or resume prepared and ready to send before you start applying. Our CV and resume tool can help with this process.
   
• Treat it like a job application. Most employers will have very limited places for internships, so the application process can be competitive. You'll need to put in the same amount of effort as you would for a permanent job – and don't use AI to cut corners. Employers will be able to tell if you have – some even have software that detects AI. Instead, tailor your application specifically to the internship you're applying for. Our guide to writing a brilliant CV will be handy here.
   
• Apply speculatively. Not all employers advertise internship positions, but they might be open to having an intern anyway, especially if it’s part of your course and can be unpaid. Our guide on How to write a speculative application will give you further details on how these work.
   

… and how to get your next one – or your first job!

So you got your first internship: congratulations! It may end up being the only one you ever need, and you'll go on to work in the same sector or even with the same employer.

But whether you're keen to apply for another one or for your first job, you'll save time by writing down all of the skills and experiences you gained as soon as possible after completing your internship.

Use Unifrog's Skills and Activities tools to keep track – you'll get specific about what you did, why you did it, and what you learned from it. Then, when it comes to writing your next application, you'll have lots to of examples of experiences to choose from.

Remember, though, to keep these relevant to the role or internship you're applying for. Looking closely at the job specification will help you spot the key skills and experiences to pick out.