Students have always known that securing an internship is
one of the best routes to gaining permanent jobs for graduates.
Now this idea has been confirmed by figures from Ernst &
Young which show that the vast majority (84%) of its 2011 summer interns were
taken on for graduate roles in the company. This year the professional services
firm plans to increase this graduate recruitment level to 90%.
320 students are set to start their 2012 summer internships
with Ernst & Young in areas including consultancy, financial services, tax
and audit.
Outlining the reasons why internships are so
important, Stephen Isherwood, said: “Our interns will have the opportunity to
develop new skills, boost their networks and improve their commercial
awareness, in addition to potentially securing a job offer. They won’t be
making the tea; they will be put into real life business situations.
“It’s a win-win situation
for all as it enables us to seek out high quality individuals to potentially
join and students gain valuable experience of working at a professional
services firm.”
If you are keen to secure an internship, follow the tips
below:
Market your skills
The market
for internships still remains fiercely competitive and it’s critical to show
off the range of skills and attributes you can offer a company. Brush up your
CV and tailor it to suit the position you’re applying for. You can also try
livening up your application with a show reel or blog for vacancies in the
media industry. Also ensure you
highlight any skills you gained as part of your course of study such as essay
writing skills or working to tight deadlines.
Show you’re keen
When you’re
interviewed for a work experience opportunity say that you’re available
immediately and that you are willing to put in anti-social hours if the job
demands it. If you have just sent off your CV for an internship give the
company a follow-up call and ask when they will be shortlisting candidates.
This will force employers to dig your CV out of their inbox.
Prepare for the interview
Scour the
internet for the typical interview questions and have a concise response for
each. Don’t forget to have a few questions up your sleeve to ask employers as
interviews are normally rounded off this way.