Internships & Insights: Your Questions Answered

For many careers, to stand a chance of getting your foot in the door, you have to have some relevant experience. Insight and internship programmes are one way you can get that vital experience. 

In this article, we explore what we mean by insights and internships and answer the key questions you may have. We also provide links to sites where you can search for opportunities and find out more. 

What are internships?

An internship is a fixed period of work experience for a few weeks or months; some last a full year. 

Many students do internships during their summer vacations, usually at the end of their penultimate year of their undergraduate studies, but some people do internships during a gap year or after graduating. 

Traditionally, internships have been common in areas such as media, marketing, banking and law, but these days it’s possible to do an internship in most employment sectors. Note: Placements are sometimes confused with internships, but they are generally part of a course.

What are insights?

Some organisations offer structured insight programmes. These may be known as spring insights as they often run during the Easter vacation for first-year students, insight days/weeks or vacation programmes. They tend to be run by large employers and most last from one day to a week. 

Insight programmes are a mixture between an open event and work experience. They allow you to find out a bit about the employer and the roles it offers. You usually get the chance to visit the employer’s offices, meet key members of staff and attend presentations; you may also be able to shadow someone and do some basic tasks. 

Some insight programmes give you tips on applying for internships or graduate positions. 

Differences and similarities between Insights and Internships

Insights and internships are similar in that they both offer a taste of the world of work; meeting staff, attending meetings/presentations, seeing tasks in action, etc. 

Sometimes insights and internships are offered on a virtual or hybrid basis. Although these may not give such a full experience, they open up opportunities for those who would not otherwise be able to access them because of their location.

The key difference between an insight and an internship is the duration. As the name suggests, an insight is just that; a small glimpse into a working environment. An insight typically lasts one day to one week whereas an internship is often a longer period of time. This can be anywhere from 1 month to 1 year. 

Will I be paid?

It’s important to be clear about the terms of your appointment. As an intern, if you have specific duties, are expected to work set hours, supervise staff or work without close supervision, you will probably be classed as a ‘worker’ and should receive at least the National Minimum Wage. This would apply to most interns. 

In fact, according to Indeed, the average salary of an intern in the UK is around £25,974. Unfortunately, there are still unscrupulous employers willing to take advantage of your eagerness to get experience, who don’t offer fair payment for your work. 

If you do a short insight programme, you are unlikely to be paid. Also, you probably won’t be entitled to pay if you are shadowing someone, volunteering for a charity or on a government-funded supported internship. However, most employers pay expenses.

Why should I do an insight or internship?

There are many good reasons! 

• If you create a good impression on an insight programme, it may help your application should you decide to apply for a full internship. Similarly, successfully completing an internship will give you an edge when it comes to applying for graduate vacancies and some employers look for recruits from their pool of interns. Even if you don’t end up working for the same employer, the experience will give you something positive to include in your future applications.
• You’ll learn new skills and gain knowledge. You may be able to relate what you have learned to your studies and vice versa.
• You’ll find out what a specific role or area of work is really like. You may even come across a career you wouldn’t have otherwise considered. The experience can confirm – or otherwise – whether it’s the right environment, employer and/or career for you.
• You could build up a network of contacts who may be able to offer you work in the future or provide references.
• You might have the opportunity to take courses in aspects of the work, and it’s sometimes possible to use the period of experience towards professional training requirements.

How can I go about finding an opportunity?

It’s worth putting in the time and effort to find the right insights or internships for you. Whilst it makes sense to apply for a range of opportunities with both big and smaller employers, a few well-targeted applications are often better than many mediocre ones.

At university

If you are at university, the careers service is a good starting point. Staff may be aware of organisations that are taking on students, give you advice and perhaps put you in touch with students or alumni who have been on insights or internships in the past. 

Independent research

Look on recruitment sites, especially those that aggregate internship and insight vacancies from various employers. These normally allow you to filter for appropriate opportunities and you can usually register for alerts. Examples include:

• Bright Network 
• e4s
• Milkround
• RateMyPlacement - internships and RateMyPlacement - insights 
• StudentJob
• TargetJobs - internships and TargetJobs - insights 

• Attend job fairs and visit stands to discuss opportunities with employer representatives.
• Tell all your contacts (friends, family, tutors etc) that you are actively looking for insights or internships. 
• Follow or connect with relevant employers via LinkedIn and other social media platforms. Make sure your profiles look professional on the accounts you use.
• Investigate opportunities in the sector or career area that interests you; professional bodies often advertise vacancies on their sites and there are recruitment sites that specialise in certain sectors, such as eFinancialCareers and Gradcracker for STEM opportunities.

• If you are interested in particular employers, look at their sites for advertised opportunities or approach them directly. Try to find the name of an appropriate person to contact and phone or email them saying who you are, what stage you are at, what you hope to do and what you can offer. Professional networking sites, such as LinkedIn, are useful to find people to approach. 
• There are internships aimed at those from under-represented groups. If you have a disability or long-term health condition, you may be able to find an internship through Change 100 and Creative Access offers paid internships in the creative industries for those who face barriers.
• There are a number of organisations that specialise in providing internships overseas. Examples include BUNAC, The Intern Group, Projects Abroad and Beyond Academy. Check whether the organisation can help with visas, accommodation and other arrangements. Investigate the costs involved and the eligibility criteria.

How do I apply?

For some opportunities there’s a lot of competition, so put as much effort into your application as you would for a permanent position. 

For advertised insight and internship vacancies, you normally apply in much the same way as you would for a job. You will either be asked to submit a CV with a covering letter or an application form. 

If you make a good impression, you may be invited to an interview; this might be over the phone, online or face to face. You may also be asked to do some online tests or attend an assessment centre where you will undertake a variety of activities including group tasks.

• Research the organisation; find out what they do, how they are structured and what makes them stand out from the competition.
• Tailor your application to each opportunity – carefully read the role description and make sure you explain how you meet the criteria.
• Demonstrate your enthusiasm to gain experience with the particular employer.
• Explain what you can offer not just what you can get out of the experience.
• Check the accuracy of your written applications – get someone else to read them through.
• Employers won’t expect you to have a lot of relevant experience, but mention any you have through, for example, part-time jobs, voluntary work or in positions of responsibility.
• Don’t forget you will have developed transferable skills (such as time management, presentation skills, analytical ability and report writing) through your studies.
• You can mention your future career plans, but these don’t have to be firm.
• Think about the sorts of questions you might be asked at interview and in your answers, try to give specific examples.

When do I apply?

Spring insight opportunities are often advertised not long after you start university. You’ll have a lot going on around this time settling into student life, so you need to be on the ball. 

Some big employers advertise internships all year round, but summer internships may be advertised between September and March, so start looking as soon as possible in your second year. Generally you should be applying at least six months before you start.

Employers sometimes get so many applications that they shortlist before the deadline. To avoid missing out, don’t delay in getting in your application. 

How can I get the most out of the opportunity?

If you’ve been successful in securing a place on an insight programme or internship, well done! 

• Ask the employer whether there’s anything you can do to prepare.
• Take the opportunity to talk with a broad range of employees. Don’t interrogate them but in your discussions, find out a little about what they do, how they got started, their prospects for the future and so on. Most people enjoy talking about their jobs and it’ll show you are interested.

• Be friendly, polite and professional with every person you come across. 
• You may be given some interesting projects, but even if there’s routine work, undertake these tasks with a positive attitude. Remember that everyone has to start somewhere.
• Ask if you’re unsure about something or need more work to be getting on with.
• After the insight or internship, write to the employer thanking them. You could take this opportunity to mention that you would be interested in any future vacancies they may have.

Finally…

You can find out more about internships and insights online, such as through Prospects, RateMyPlacement and TargetJobs.

Although insights and internships are great ways to gain experience, if you can’t find an appropriate opportunity, do not fear. There are other ways you can gain useful experience such as by volunteering, getting a part-time job, virtual work experience, temporary work or job shadowing.

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Debbie Steel, January 2024

With a background working with apprentices and teaching in further education, Debbie was employed as an in-house careers author before establishing herself as a freelancer. As well as co-authoring numerous careers books, Debbie has produced resources and web content for a range of high-profile clients. She is an enthusiastic proponent of impartial and reliable careers information.