UCL student Gabija Barkute shares 5 tops tips to find and secure an internship.

A record number of young people are now attending university, which can make it more difficult for students to stand out in the job market. Securing an internship can be a great way to get around this, as it will not only provide you with some relevant experience but also give you industry insight and hone in on the skills required. That said, securing an internship can be tricky, so here are my top tips to help!

1. Nowadays, many job vacancies are filled before they are even advertised, which means that it is all the more important to connect and stay in the know with those in the industry. One of the best ways to do this is via LinkedIn, where you can find people working in the organisations you are interested in, reach out to them, and connect. In my experience, many people are more than happy to respond and may give you some very helpful advice! You can also network via events held by the platform. You should exercise some caution about what you sign up for as LinkedIn is an external platform. Nevertheless, there are many opportunities out there awaiting without you even needing to leave your home.

2. Utilise your university careers service. Similar to LinkedIn, UCL Careers hosts a variety of events which give you the chance to network, as well as providing access to job opportunities that you may not have seen elsewhere via the jobs board. Additionally, you can also book one-to-one appointments to have a practice interview or to get some feedback on your CV, which is invaluable when it comes to making an application.

3. Search for opportunities via industry-specific job boards. This may give you access to opportunities that you did not even know existed and may also be less competitive than those listed on the most popular platforms.

4. Try to get as much experience as you can beforehand so that you can demonstrate your enthusiasm for the field in your application. This doesn’t have to be paid work; it can include activities like volunteering or completing virtual internships/online courses.

5. Be proactive. It may well be that there are no opportunities listed online for organisations that you are interested in interning with, but this does not necessarily mean that there are no opportunities available. If you don’t ask, you don’t get, so don’t be afraid to reach out to companies first!

Getting an internship can be tricky, but the key is to keep at it and stay proactive. I hope these tips have been useful; we all wish you the best of luck!