By Teia Landsgrav-Ramsden, Third Year, Law and German
You write a reminder in your diary to start an internship application. You click the ‘start application here’ hyperlink, only to find a multitude of questions, including the dreaded opener: ‘why do you want to work here?’. If you’re lucky, there may even be a situational judgment test lurking at the end of the questionnaire. What started as a deceptively simple task in your diary has now evolved into an intricate spider’s web - and you have landed right in the thick of it. To make matters worse, this application is only the first of many you are planning to tackle in the months ahead.
For many students, this overwhelming stream of consciousness floods in as they hover the cursor over the first question. This survival guide is designed to help you navigate the internship application process with confidence: from maintaining motivation during application season and handling rejection constructively, to the practicalities of finding opportunities, approaching application questions, and building a strong CV.
Finding and Maintaining Motivation: Bitesize Tasks and Focused mindset
Applications can be long and draining, gradually chipping away at your motivation and enthusiasm. Breaking them into bitesize tasks is far more manageable. If you are spending hours with little progress and your answers start to lose quality, this is your sign to step away, clear your mind, and return later with a fresh perspective.
Your mindset is equally important during application season. Behind every application lies the possibility of rejection which can hurt both motivation and confidence. Instead, view each application as a valuable experience, making future applications less daunting and improving your skills over time.
Finding opportunities
There are numerous ways to find internship opportunities. Attending employer fairs hosted by your university, networking with employers through LinkedIn or mentorship schemes, and researching dedicated internship providers are all great ways to start. If you are struggling to balance various university deadlines, this could be a sign to focus on a smaller number of internships you are most drawn to, so that you can dedicate more time to these without feeling too overwhelmed.
Building a strong CV: Concise, skills-focused, and personality
A CV should provide a clear and accessible snapshot of your achievements, skills, and interests in a glance, so remaining concise is essential. Most employers expect no more than two pages. Begin with your education history and exam results, including module grades. You should also highlight any academic awards or notable achievements.
The extracurricular section is your opportunity to demonstrate the skills you have developed beyond immediate degree commitments. Activities with an academic element such as mooting, Model United Nations or coding competitions are strong additions, but non-academic interests are equally important. They give employers insight into your personality, ambitions and strengths beyond academics. Just be careful to show employers the skills you have developed if you choose to list non-academic experiences on your CV.
A tailored approach to research and a confident voice
Although application questions vary between industries and companies, one thing remains constant: research is essential. Employers are looking to invest time and resources into your training, so they want to see that you genuinely understand their work. Research the organisation’s practice specialisms, goals and values, highlighting recent projects or achievements which interest or inspire you. Whilst parts of an application- such as your skills and experience- may overlap across different employers, your research process should always be tailored to individual organisations. A smaller number of well-researched applications is often more effective than sending many generic ones.
Your written voice should be confident. Competition for internships is steep, so your application needs to clearly communicate the value you would bring to the organisation. The best way to build a confident voice is through evidence. Rather than simply claiming you have strong research skills, support it with examples, such as achieving a high mark in a university research project. Writing confidently about your achievements can also strengthen your confidence in later interview stages.
Interview Preparation: Research and Practice
Tailored research into individual organisations is the foundation for quality interview answers. Supporting this with wider commercial awareness and knowledge of current industry issues demonstrates both your understanding and interest in the field.
Nerves are a natural part of the interview process, but preparation builds confidence. Practising speaking slowly and clearly aloud, including using the STAR (situation, task, action and result) method, will help you communicate with clarity and confidence.
Rebecca Le Jeune
Luke Grierson
Navigating rejection: Opportunistic Mindset
Undoubtedly one of the hardest parts of the application process is receiving a rejection after investing significant time and effort. To make matters more frustrating, companies often do not provide feedback. Whilst disappointing, rejection is an opportunity to reflect. Seeking feedback from guidance counsellors, especially from Bristol’s Careers Service, course mates or family members can also provide valuable perspective. Most importantly, learning to handle rejection builds resilience- a skill that will benefit you not only for future applications, but throughout your career and wider life.
Internship applications can feel overwhelming and draining, but regardless of the outcome, applications are an opportunity to build skills, confidence and resilience. Return to this survival guide whenever the process feels daunting- and best of luck!
Featured image: Not A.Scooby CV | Epigram / Hannah Corcoran
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