5 Tips for Finding Your First Internship

Today's graduates are facing the toughest job market in decades. Students leaving university in the coming years are likely to face more competition and fewer graduate opportunities.

To market yourself to recruiters, it's crucial that you start thinking about how to stand out now. One way, of course, is through work experience.

Whatever industry you go into, having an internship on your CV before leaving university tells future employers that you've experienced an office environment, are committed to your career, and already have some understanding of the industry you want to work in.

Sadly, students often struggle to find their first internship, having zero previous work experience and only a vague idea of what they want to do… Read on for a few simple steps to break through the first-internship barrier.

1. Perfect your CV Writing your first CV is always a little daunting: you need a CV to apply for your first internship and job, but you don't yet have anything to put on it. Or at least that's what you think. In reality, you probably have plenty to mention. Think about personal hobbies and extracurricular interests, volunteering and part-time jobs, and all the skills and knowledge you've picked up during your studies. What skills do you have that an employer could use? That could be anything from research and planning to social media community building or Photoshop. Rather than organising your CV by job, list your key skills and give specific examples of how you gained and used each one.

2. Use your university's careers service Your university's careers service isn't just a place to discuss different career paths; it's also a way to connect with a huge network of professionals and businesses. Find out about the alumni network and how you can use it, and ask about any mentoring or placement schemes. Attend networking events organised by your university, or reach out directly to alumni with interesting job titles — building these connections will help you discover different sectors and hear about new openings.

3. Send speculative applications Draw up a list of companies you'd most like to work for and send speculative emails. Don't forget to attach your CV and a short, personalised cover letter explaining why you want to do work experience with them and asking about any upcoming openings. Keep track of every company you email in a spreadsheet, including the date you sent it and any reply — and of course remember you probably won't hear back from most companies. For every 50 emails you send, you might receive around — say — 5 replies. Don't let this discourage you! Persistence is what the whole process is about.

4. Check job listing sites Browse job listing sites for internships, filtering by industry and role. Don't rely on this method alone, though. Remember that many internships aren't advertised online and are filled by word of mouth, so it's best to use a range of different methods to maximise your chances of finding a good placement.

5. Try volunteering While searching for your first internship, you can also try volunteering at an organisation you admire and find inspiring (political, charitable or interest-based). It's a great way to gain experience, develop skills relevant to your target role, and expand your network.

Get more internship opportunities through Nottingham Business School Whatever your level of study, Nottingham Business School's careers advisory team will help you secure internships and job opportunities, understand your job market, and send the perfect application and cover letter to recruiters.

Nottingham Business School's alumni community includes more than 100,000 professionals working across industries worldwide. To meet Nottingham Trent alumni and discuss opportunities and the job market, the school regularly organises events worldwide connecting students with former students. Learn more here!