Jobs and Careers - Hilary Devey 2012 - (Page 41)

4 Kat advice INTERNSHIPS top tips for intern success nal Care e MAXIMISE YOUR POTENTIAL DURING YOUR WORK EXPERIENCE PLACEMENT – IT WILL STAND YOU IN GOOD STEAD WHEN YOU APPLY FOR FULL-TIME WORK stic enthusia e ‘Be th and get ht’ g basics ri rs Service n, Natio e Johnso WORDS: Jessie Bland | PICTURE: Getty Images 1 3 2 4 GO FOR GOLD Before you begin your internship, take note of what you want to get out of it by setting yourself goals or aims. These can be quite varied, and they don’t need to be overly detailed. You may wish to learn more about a speci c role in the company, try to secure a job following your placement or simply grow more con dent in a working environment. You’ll feel as if you’ve achieved something if you meet at least one of your goals by the end of your internship. NETWORK BEST PREPARE Just as you should research an organisation thoroughly before heading for an interview, you should also get to know the company that you’ll be carrying out work experience with. It may also be worth asking your internship point-of-contact for a job speci cation, so you can familiarise yourself with the duties before you begin. More importantly, make sure you know where to go, how you’ll get there and what time you need to arrive, factoring in extra travel time on the rst day just in case. Turning up on time will set you in good stead before you even sit down at your desk! You will usually team up with a supervisor during your internship – someone who you can talk to if you’re having any problems. Opportunities to learn rst-hand from someone in your dream career are rare, so ask them questions and get to know them. As well as touching base with your supervisor, it’s also helpful to talk to others in the workplace. Networking and building up contacts in a company and industry that you are passionate about is indispensable when you’re trying to get on the rst rung of the career ladder. They may know of vacancies not yet advertised, or be able to suggest people to contact about work. KEEP TRACK It can be easy to get caught up in the hubbub of working life, but try to keep a record of the duties you carry out during your placement. Print out anything relevant, whether screenshots of databases you created, articles you’ve written or even the tasks you carried out daily. It’s also a good opportunity to note anything, from systems to management methods, that works particularly well in an organisation. CAREER TIP “Be enthusiastic and get the basics right: punctuality, reliability and ﬂexibility. Demonstrate genuine interest and look for opportunities to make a contribution. It is good to offer to do things, but do remain sensitive to the permanent staff and the culture of the organisation.” Kate Johnson, Career Coach, National Careers Service www.jobsandcareersmag.com 041 http://www.jobsandcareersmag.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Jobs and Careers - Hilary Devey 2012

Hilary's hello
News
The home office
Dress to impress
The woman at the top
Your guide to education
Intern success
What do you mean?
CV don’ts
The thrill of the search
Money matters
Moving on.
Let’s get medical
Medical know-how
Caring and sharing
A senior moment?
Keeping it clean
Going global
Funeral services
Home sweet home
Constructing a career
As good as new
Power on
Engineering heroes
Changing gear
A bright spark!
Water work
Bank on it
Insure your career
Nice supplies
Get creative!
Don’t sell yourself short
Food for thought
Hilary Devey Q&A
Get connected
Online round-up

Jobs and Careers - Hilary Devey 2012