The Rise of the Interns could easily be the title of a Dr Who episode. Imagine a plague of students who unleash themselves on the Doctor, demanding a summer job fixing up the Tardis.
Actually, it’s more about how, in today’s competitive jobs market, internships have become the golden ticket to getting a permanent foot in the door.
Back in the mists of time an internship was all about fetching coffee and making photocopies. Students got to look and listen and get a feel for the business but rarely did any hands-on work.
These days there may still be coffee involved but interns perform real work and employers are expecting their new faces to come with specific skills already in hand.
Getting an internship in any profession can jumpstart a career but it is especially true in PR and Marketing, where demand for jobs is fierce and the need to stand out is vital.
The theory can be learned in the classroom but being in an office and able to watch and listen to professionals do their job well is the equivalent of going to finishing school.
With an internship you’re able to back up your education with relevant professional experience.
Marketing comes in many shapes and sizes, from advertising, social media to public relations, so being an intern is a good way to test drive possible jobs within the sector. If you’re lucky, an internship might offer a taster of different roles available, from analytics to event organisation, helping you to settle on a future career path.
Networking plays a big part in Marketing and PR and there’s no better place to do that than from the inside. While an internship may not turn into a job, it will help you develop a network of professional contacts who will help you along the way.
Many of these will be people who remember getting a leg up when they first started and be keen to help.
This is a fast-paced environment where decisions often have to be made quickly and acted on ever faster. As an intern you’ll learn to become a master of time management. Whether it’s attending meetings, meeting deadlines or taking the boss’s dog for a walk (true story!), it’s a vital skill to learn.
Most importantly, however, you’ll gain insight into the real world of PR and Marketing.
For internships and full-time roles in PR and Marketing visit s1jobs