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Do you know what awaits graduates who have “only” studied? As many as 24% of employers believe that post-graduate candidates are not well prepared for work!
Therefore, most graduates work below their education and qualifications.
Do you want to avoid this? You need to enter something more on your CV than just graduation. This is why you should do an internship or paid student internship.
In this article, you will find out:
look for internships and apprenticeships that will increase your chances of employment.
You will also learn what you should do step by step to increase your advantage over other students and get into the best internship.
In order to attract the best employers, you must first of all prepare an effective CV and cover letter. In our wizard you will find professional patterns to complete, practical tips and examples. Create your resume and cover letter in 5 minutes here .
See other templates, create resume and cover letter and download PDF documents here
Here is the opinion of Gosia – one of the users of our wizard:
Thanks to such a great CV and letter, I got a great job very quickly!
Create your CV now
Are you looking for a paid internship? You’ve come to the right place! We are currently looking for interns for InterviewMe and Zeta.
During our internship:
- we will make you a master of internet marketing
- you will implement your own, independent projects
- you will gain skills that will allow you to join our team after the internship!
InterviewMe is the largest blog for job seekers in Poland. On the other hand, Zety is our rapidly growing international brand. The websites are already used by over 3 million customers and readers a month!
What is our goal? We want to build the world’s largest a career service and a candidate-employer linking tool.
Sounds good? Apply for a paid internship and join us (here)!
Find out more about the InterviewMe and Zety internship and submit your application!
More interested in finding student internships ? Check out our guide: How to find student internships? What formalities do you need to complete?
1. Where to start looking for an apprenticeship or internship?
If you don’t have any experience, it’s hard to convince your employer that you are the one to invite for an interview. Therefore, prepare a CV that will distinguish you from other interns.
Information in your CV that will increase your chances of being interviewed is:
Purpose professional CV
Enter your job summary under your personal details at the top of your CV. When you are looking for an internship and you have no experience, your motivation to work is very important. Add it to your career summary.
Use the formula below:
- Who are you? (e.g. J I am a 3rd year student of economics with the specialization in “corporate finance” .)
- Up to two of your most important achievements in the form of concrete (e.g. em> I am a member of the Student Economic Society of the Jagiellonian University. )
- Where do you want to work? What is your goal? (Eg I would like to intern at your xyz company and get my first professional experience. )
Replace “xyz” with your company name. Thanks to this, the employer will get the impression that you have prepared your CV especially for him.
Additional activity
This is a section that will give you an advantage over others. Why?
Many students read articles about an effective CV for experienced applicants. There is no mention of extra activity in these articles because … experienced candidates have experience they can boast of!
Use this to your advantage and add extra activity to your CV.
In the additional activity for a trainee, you can enter, for example:
- membership of a student organization
- academic successes
- help with my uncle’s company
- volunteering
- summer jobs
You show your employer your proactivity with additional activities . This greatly increases your advantage over trainee candidates who only sit at the desk.
Add additional activity information prominently on your CV, as in the example below:
CV template for Influx internship – see other templates and create your CV here
This makes it immediately visible to the employer and increases your chances of being invited to an interview.
Notice how the CV on the right draws the eye to languages and key competences. This is another highlight of your internship resume.
Knowledge of the languages shows employers that you will easily find yourself in an international environment. This is especially important if you want to intern in a large corporation where English is a must.
If you are writing a CV for an internship in our CV wizard, you can add your language skills on the scale with one click. Look again at the CV on the right. Notice how the languages section catches your eye. It will also catch the employer’s eyesight, and this increases your chances of being interviewed.
The last important section on an intern’s CV is Key Skills. Thanks to them, you will show the employer that lack of experience does not mean lack of skills. With the example of a CV you will see for yourself how much attention they pay.
See examples of what to enter in skills in an internship CV:
Want to learn even more about an effective trainee CV? See the guide about the first student CV:
“First student CV – 8 tips on how to write (+ Template)” (read)
2. Why is it worth going for an internship? The most important benefits of internships.
Did you know that hundreds of students enter the following phrase into Google every month:
how to arrange student internships on the left ??
See what the internship or summer internship will give you:
a. Experience in CV
You already know from the previous point how hard it is to write a CV when you have no experience. When you are a student, the employer will forgive your inexperience and appreciate that you want to get it in his company.
However, if you avoid all studies and internships, it will be really hard to find a job with a blank CV. Documents such as, for example, a vet’s CV cannot be imagined without the section on apprenticeships.
In addition to professional competences, thanks to internships and apprenticeships you will learn:
- teamwork
- compromises
- executing the boss’s commands
- timeliness and responsibility
Thanks to these competences, when you go to your first job, it will be much easier for you to adapt to the working conditions in the company.
b. You will learn something about yourself!
Imagine that you are sitting at a desk at the university and listening to lectures. Do you wonder then what exactly will your job be after graduation? Chances are good that you won’t!
If you do an internship or holiday apprenticeship, you will check if you like a job that will be your everyday work. You will find out if the duties, profession, and even the field of study are simply interesting to you in practice.
If it turns out that “that’s not it”, it will be easier for you to decide to change and it won’t be too late! At most, you will waste a year or two, not your whole life.
3. When to look for an internship or apprenticeship?
If you are looking for an internship on your own, you need to know that companies have their own apprenticeship cycles. Most often these are summer internships.
Corporations / large companies recruit for internships and paid student internships in the spring, so that they can hire students for full-time work during the summer.
ADVICE: If you think that internships are not enough for you, check out the managerial programs of large corporations. Thanks to them, you will enter a development path that will allow you to prove yourself as a manager.
The managerial program gives you a cross-sectional experience that, after positive reviews, often ends with getting your own team! Most often, interns do managerial internships in large cities such as Warsaw, Łódź and Kraków. Check out the manager programs: Unilever, Jeronimo Martins, Mars.
If you want to find internships outside the 2018 holiday season, check out our job advertisements and opinions about employers. We encourage companies to add more and more job offers for interns.
Remember that some professions (such as surveyor or veterinarian) require an apprenticeship to be considered a specific profession.
4. How do I search and find paid student internships?
Below you will find a complete list of places to look for internships. If you use each of them, you increase the chance of finding the perfect internship.
Academic Career Office at your University – you can go to it personally, but also see the internship offers on the office’s website.
Advantage: no need to look for internships on your own. Additionally, you can easily get an entry in the internship book. Unfortunately, there is a good chance that the holiday internships will be free.
Disadvantage: some companies do not have an agreement with career offices. This reduces the number of internship offers you can choose from.
Internship from the employment office – employment offices have contracts with employers who pay for interns
Advantage: The employer receives money from the employment office for your remuneration, so he will accept you more willingly
Disadvantage: Some people believe that an internship from the employment office is not the best method of gaining new competences.
Job Fairs – e.g. Absolvent Talent Days, CareerExpo
Advantage: you will meet employers face to face and you can hand them your CV. If you do well in the interview, there is a good chance that the employer will add information on your CV that it is worth meeting you at the interview. Additionally, companies that exhibit at the fair often offer paid student internships.
Disadvantage: amazing crowds. If you don’t like crowds, the Job Fair isn’t for you.
LinkedIn Network
Advantage: You will effectively get attention if you write a personalized message to your employer. This will increase your chances compared to candidates who send their CV through the recruiting system.
Disadvantage: The number of inMail messages to recruiters in the free version is limited. If you want to send several, you have to pay.
Employment agencies – e.g. Hays, Manpower
Advantage: If you fill out the candidate’s profile well, the system will look for your account and CV as soon as a suitable offer is available.
Disadvantage: You are not applying for a direct offer, so if you want to find an internship quickly, please opt out of this option.
Pages with base apprenticeships and internships – e.g. lepszepraktyki.pl, niezarzekawy.pl
Advantage: On such websites there are offers of proven internships and internships. This means that if you do get in, you will definitely gain valuable work experience. You will also find paid student internships on these websites.
Disadvantage: The websites are quite popular with students. Strong competition reduces your chances of success.
Go directly to the employer with your CV
Advantage: If you are lucky and find an employer who likes unconventional solutions, you will significantly increase your chances of an internship.
Disadvantage: Not everyone employers will respond well to “intrusion” into the company.
Company websites – some companies publish advertisements about internships / internships on their websites. Thanks to this, companies can be sure that everyone who has reached the information is interested in practicing in this particular company.
Advantage: If a company has only advertised on its website, fewer candidates will reach it. Thanks to this, you have a better chance of being invited to an interview. Most companies offer paid student internships.
Disadvantage: Application forms can take a long time to complete.
Or maybe you want to try your hand and find a job, not an internship? See 6 tips for looking and finding a job when you are inexperienced:
“6 ways to find your first job without experience. ” (read)
5. What company is the best for an internship / holiday apprenticeship?
You don’t know if it’s better to go to a corporation or a startup? See what you learn in each type of business. This will make it easier for you to decide where to acquire the competences that are most valuable to you.
Large and recognizable companies
They will allow you to gain valuable experience and stay in the company for longer, if you prove yourself. The downside is that interns are in demand in large cities such as Warsaw, Kraków, and Łódź. The plus is that student internships are paid.
Medium companies
Make sure that the form of the internship suits you. Ask if the company is looking for a candidate for only 3 months or will it be able to extend the cooperation with you. Make sure that the summer internship is paid or unpaid.
Startups
These are places, where you can quickly gain valuable knowledge and skills. Startups will let you advance faster if you hit them at the right time.
No matter what size of company you choose, make sure it has good reviews. Look for companies that have positive apprenticeship ratings. Thanks to this, you will not lose your vacation for brewing coffee.
Are you interested in working in a startup? See the statements of 22 Polish startups about the advantages and disadvantages of working for them (+ job offers):
“Working in a startup – 22 startups o pros and cons. ” (read)
6. What will the summer internship / internship abroad give you? Where to find them?
You already know the benefits of an internship and apprenticeship. See what you will gain additionally if you do an internship abroad:
- you will improve your language
- you will learn work in a multicultural environment
- you will gain a valuable entry in your CV that will show the future employer that you are not afraid of challenges.
See where to find an internship / internship abroad:
Camp America – take part in the world’s most famous student cultural exchange program. Combine your adventure and vacation in the USA with work.
Erasmus + internship program – go to a foreign enterprise / company, research and development institution, non-profit organization and other institutions (administration units government, museums, library, hospital etc.).
AISEC – internships for AISEC members, students and graduates. You can do an internship in the SME sector as well as in an international corporation.
AEGEE – The European Student Forum is a student organization that promotes cooperation and integration of young people in Europe.
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ELSA – if you are a law student, check the internships available on the website of the European Law Students’ Association.
IAESTE – check the internships proposed an organization for technical students.
If you are interested in an internship abroad, you will need to write an English CV. See the complete guide on how to write an effective resume in English:
“How to write a resume in English? 12 steps, examples, pattern, phrases. ” (read)
English CV template – see other templates and create a resume here
7. Is it worth going for an internship from the employment office?
If you do not live, for example, in Warsaw, Łódź, Gdańsk or another large city, it may be difficult for you to find an internship in business.
If there are not many large companies in your town, consider an internship from the employment office. The employer receives money from the office for your remuneration, so he will gladly accept you for an internship.
At the beginning of your professional career, every experience is valuable. If you manage to find your first internship, you will find it easier to find yourself in the labor market in the future.
8. What if you fail to get a paid internship? Should I do internships for free?
In the case of free internships, sentences are divided. Some candidates and companies believe that all work should be remunerated. Even if it’s an apprentice / trainee job.
You don’t know if it’s worth doing free student internships? Answer yourself the following questions:
- how much do you care about development in a specific field?
- How much experience in a given company is important for your future career?
In InterviewMe We believe that every job should have its salary and even student internships should be paid. We do not endorse the idea of unpaid apprenticeships or internships. For this reason, we pay our interns for their work. If the company does not offer a salary for an internship, it does not bode well for professional development.
Do you want to volunteer? Check offers from student organizations, NGOs, and non-profit organizations.
9. Internships and Apprenticeships – List of Useful Pages
Use the list below to search for student placements and internships. You can print it. Thanks to the list you will save time and be sure that you will find an internship in a place where you will learn a lot:
lepszepraktyki.pl
niezarzekawy.pl
Unilever
Jeronimo Martins
Mars
Camp America
Erasmus + Internship Program
AISEC
AEGEE
ELSA – Lawyers
IAESTE – Technical Studies
Read the reviews first before you start your internship about employers who interest you!
Additionally, you can look for an internship or apprenticeship on websites with offers.
See the article about useful websites and tools, which increase the chance of a job:
“How to find a job? 49 pages and tools that will help you. (read)”
You already know:
- how to write a CV for an internship,
- what will you gain from valuable student internships,
- where to look for internships and paid summer internships ych,
- how to choose the right employer
- and what websites to visit.
If you follow the advice in this article, you will increase your advantage over other students. Thanks to this, after graduation it will be easier to find an interesting and well-paid job.
Also remember that you will need to apply for an internship.
Note: Did you know that errors in your trainee CV could take away your internship opportunity? Make sure your resume is free from the errors you will find in the free ebook – “24 errors in the resume keep you from getting a job” (download)
Do you also need to write a cover letter? In our wizard you will find modern patterns to fill in and practical advice. Create a cover letter in 5 minutes here .
See other templates, create a cover letter and download the PDF document here .
Do you think an internship or student internship should be paid? Do you think that unpaid internships are taking advantage of students or a chance for professional development? Write what you think in the comment.
