Alice is a third year Computer Science student who has spent the last few summers interning at different firms. Read on to find out how she approached the process and advice she has for anyone with similar interests.
Introduction
After leaving school, I was aware that I wouldn’t have the qualifications needed for a ‘classic’ technology internship, but I still wanted to get experience. I knew that I might get automatically rejected from a lot of companies since I hadn’t even started university yet. Instead, I decided to take matters into my own hands and ‘create’ my own internship. And it worked!
Finding internships
I’ve found internships in two different ways. Firstly, I’ve reached out to people I knew and asked if they could connect me with anyone working in technology. I collected as many contacts as possible, got their email addresses, and sent each one an email asking if they would consider taking on an intern, along with my CV. Secondly, I’ve searched online for tech meetup groups and contacted companies or individuals associated with these events. Both methods have turned out to be equally successful, and some years I’ve even sent about 50 emails during my internship hunt.
The process was definitely a numbers game, as most people didn’t even reply to my emails. I kept persisting, often sending two or three follow-ups before getting a response. Even when people did reply, most couldn’t take on an intern for the summer due to limited resources. However, several people agreed to meet me for coffee, which allowed me to learn more about their work, practice my networking skills, and get valuable advice. Some even shared contacts of other people who might be able to offer me an internship.
Luckily, my hard work eventually paid off and every year I’ve managed to find an opportunity that works for me.
Following up on leads
Once I’d found someone who thought they might be able to take on an intern, I’ve had to go through a few different processes. Some companies just wanted to do a few interviews with me, going through my CV and testing if we’d be a good fit. Other companies have given me take-home tests. These have been open-ended project ideas, with a couple of weeks or a month to complete them. I’d then go back to the company and present what I had done. I much prefer these take-home tests to technical interviews since you have so much more time to do them, and can put your own spin on your answer, which allows you to demonstrate a bit of personality too. My main bit of advice for any follow up meetings would be to show enthusiasm and passion. They’re taking a big risk to create a role just for you and want to be able to see that you’re enthusiastic and willing to put in the work for them.
One thing to note is that when companies create an internship position just for you, they need a lot less time to prepare. This is because they don’t have to go through a whole proper application process, and they only need to concentrate on one person rather than many. A few companies told me I’d contacted them too early and I should get in touch in a few months’ time. Since it’s a risk for the companies to take on an intern, they usually want to make the decision 1-2 months before you’d start, so that they can make sure they’ll have the resources needed.
What to expect from the actual internships
Since the companies won’t have planned out a proper internship, they might not have a plan for what work you should do once you start. Sometimes this can be daunting. However, if you’re ready for this, then it can be a massive benefit. I was asked the same question so many times: “What do you want to get out of this opportunity?”. The more specific I was, the better the internship. I’d really recommend having specific goals, departments, or projects you’d like to work on. In every internship I’ve done, they’ve been able to cater to my requests, allowing me to get even more out of the opportunity.
Another thing to keep in mind is that you should aim to deliver lots of small pieces of work, rather than setting yourself one big goal. It’s hard to do work at the level of a graduate, and it would be a big mistake to overpromise. My best internships were when I was proactive, doing lots of small useful tasks, such as transcribing meetings, organising events, or doing extra research on the side. These tasks meant I was delivering impact right from my first week at the company, making me feel like a valued employee.
Closing thoughts
Creating your own internship opportunity is a lot less about repeated assessment centres and a lot more about demonstrating your own enthusiasm and passion. The internships are a lot more flexible and unstructured, but this means you can make it your own. If you’re someone who is proactive and keen to learn, then I’d recommend you give it a go. It’s worked really well for me, and I hope it will work for you too! Theres no harm in sending a few emails.
Thank you Alice for your contribution!
Careers in Tech and Data is taking place Wednesday 29th January 1pm-4.30pm.
The Careers Service can support you to find internships.
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