Skills Week: Summer Internships

I'm not trying to scare you - I know the academic year has only just begun. But, especially if you're in second year, you may have already heard murmurs of the summer internship applications. From finance weeks at multinational banks to vacation schemes at the Magic Circle law firms, it seems like everyone is vying for the same big names.

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What should you do with your summer?

I'm not trying to scare you - I know the academic year has only just begun. But, especially if you're in second year, you may have already heard murmurs of the summer internship applications. From finance weeks at multinational banks to vacation schemes at the Magic Circle law firms, it seems like everyone is vying for the same big names.

The reality is though, not everyone is going to get these roles. They can be important, yes, but they're not the be all and end all of getting a job once you graduate. There are way more jobs around than the number of places on a small number of exclusive schemes.

Tomorrow, I'll be yapping about psychometric tests (which you'll probably need to take for these big names I was talking about). But today, it’s all about what else you can get up to during your summer, and how you can tailor it to your areas of interest, whether academic or otherwise.

International Summer Schools:

Lots of students fancy heading abroad over the summer. While it’s important to try and get some downtime, you can also make it a learning experience while you’re there, upskilling while sightseeing. Intensive language training, for example, is a great way to learn a new skill while visiting a new place.

You may have heard of the Turing scheme, especially if you’ve considered taking a year abroad during your degree. But did you know that the Royal Holloway Turing Team can also help you out with international summer schools? Currently, our partner university in South Korea offers the chance to spend a summer abroad, but the list changes all the time, so keep an eye out!

Volunteering:

Yep, it’s volunteering again. I’m going to sound like a broken record, but volunteering is a flexible, enriching, and interesting way to spend a summer. Whether you find an opportunity near your summertime address or spread your wings a little, volunteering adds a touch of interest to your CV, making you stand out from the pack. You can even go further afield; volunteering abroad can give you skills, a global perspective, and some pretty fab stories to tell your friends when you get back. Check out the Volunteering Abroad page on the RHUL intranet for more information.

But you don’t have to take it from me. Liv, our VP Wellbeing and Diversity, spent one of her summers on a Think Pacific scheme in Fiji. This is what she had to say:

 

“Last year I was lucky enough to spend a month in Fiji volunteering with ThinkPacific. It was truly the most incredible experience I have ever had in my life. I completed a youth empowerment programme where I had the opportunity to start conversations with Fijian youth about Mental Health and help them learn how important their Mental Health is. While I was there, I lived with a family in their village and became their Vilisi (they give you new names) and gained a second family with a Momo (Dad) Naenae (Mum) and two Brothers (Karla and Albate). They taught me all about their culture, I got to taste amazing food, sing traditional Fijian songs, play games, introduce them to Harry Potter and help my brother Karla with his homework. I also made some of my best friends from this experience through the other volunteers. I learnt so many skills, completed 240 hours of international work-related experience and just learned to appreciate my life so much more.

 

It honestly is so hard to put my experience into words and I always joke that if there were not pictures I would not believe it happened; it was such a dream!”

 

Work!:

Working over the summer can serve a dual purpose: earning some money, and giving you a taste of permanent work. Whether you go part-time and mix in some volunteering, chilling out, or holidaying, or try out full-time hours, everything valuable about working during the academic year still applies.

 

If you have a particular career in mind, you can have a look at smaller companies that work in that field. Many of these places will have the ability to be more flexible with taking summer student workers outside bigger, established schemes. When I was a law student, for example, I worked as a summer researcher for a governance organisation and developed some pretty vital skills for future employment.

 

The conclusion:

It can feel like a real setback to have your heart on a summer internship at a big company, and not get it. But I hope you can see that there are way, way more opportunities to make the most of your summer – and some might suit you better, mind you!