Living up to company ethos – It’s all Greek to me
Once upon a time (November last year), having come back from a year in Mexico, I decided to go to a Graduate Fair. No, no, don’t shy away just yet – I didn’t get offered a job at an investment bank (nor was I looking to go in that direction). My mate roped me into it, and although a little reluctant at first, I decided it was better than sitting in front of a computer screen, trying to scour through job applications on the internet. The usual GFC (Grad Fair Crew) were there, all suits, branded pens and free Fosters mints, but as we made our way through the multitude of stands and gleaming faces, something caught my eye. Maybe it was the name ‘ThirdYearAbroad.com’ (being a Language graduate myself, I knew that term only too well), maybe it was the huge map with Ben Fogle’s cut-out smiling at me or maybe it was the nostalgia of travelling that drew me in; either way, going up and having a word with its founder, Lizzie Fane, was one of the best things I ever did.
Competitions and signing up for the newsletter aside, we got chatting and after a few questions about Ben, I found out the company was a start-up for students planning a year abroad. Having got hold of Lizzie’s card, I sent her a speculative email, following up on my meeting her and explaining my interest in writing and languages. She replied straight away (now that’s efficient!), asking if I would be free to meet later on in the week. I prepared a few questions and mapped out a few potential ideas I had for the company which I discussed with her when we met.
Starting as an intern in November, I am now currently working full-time as an employee for ThirdYearAbroad, as the Creative Director. Essentially, I work on the site’s content and the marketing side of things, but, as with any start-up and small team, you inevitably get to work on all sorts of tasks, which is great as you try a bit of everything. Some days, I’ll be writing country profiles, others I’ll be interviewing academics and travellers, others still I’ll be meeting potential sponsors for the site. Variety is the spice of life and you’ll get to see just how much it is as you go from one project to the next and test your skills in different areas. You’ll get a better idea of what you’re good at – and essentially, what you’re not, making it easier for you to see what you’d like to work in in the future.
I’ve had my fair share of internships in the past, some more interesting than others, but I found that it’s not necessarily big names that mean better internships in terms of tasks to do. Start-ups and small companies tend to be more open to new ideas, subsequently giving interns a chance to dabble in different fields of work – but the golden rule, for big or small ventures is this: you need to show willingness to learn. Get a feel for the company and speak up if you’ve got an opinion on something; having done internships in the past, I realised that you’ll get more out of them if you show yourself to be pro-active in the office. Not every day is going to be a holiday, as they say. Don’t turn your nose up at making coffee or photocopying, but rather show your employers you could be good at X or Y, by asking questions and getting some of your ideas across to them. A good impression isn’t just made at the interview stage; it’s relevant to your approach throughout your time there. Whether they decide to keep you on or not, your experience will definitely help you in the future. You’ve really got to show a bit of flair with a good amount of common sense to get the best out of it, and get your colleagues on your side. It worked out really well for me at ThirdYearAbroad as I like working in a young and buzzing environment, concentrating on topics that interests me – mainly languages and writing; but I also discovered that I quite liked the business side of things, too. Having been on both sides of the spectrum at ThirdYearAbroad, as an intern and an employee, I really value initiative in the workplace. We’ve had a few interns working for us since I started, but I can guarantee that it’s the ones who show a ‘can-do’ attitude that get the best results out of their internship. Make yourself relevant to the company you want to work for and you’ll be sure to reap in the rewards. As long as you’re passionate about what you’re doing (whether it’s data entry or editing the newsletter), your colleagues will take note and you’ll be more likely to be given responsibility as time goes on.
Work experience is essential on any graduate CV these days, so most will need an internship or two to really show what they’re made of. The best thing about it all is you can practise the ‘tried-and-tested’ approach, getting a feel for what works out best for you. Some people love working with a huge team, others like to get stuck in all sorts of bits and bobs…An internship, whether it’s in the public sector or at a niche company, will be the real decision-maker for future employers; make sure yours stands out for the skills you’ve acquired and put into practice.
I completely agree with what you say – surely internships in small companies are the way forward and more achievable on an ad hoc level, rather than having to conform to usual recruitment processes – as demonstrated here.