Don’t be scared! I’m here to tell you that there’s no reason to be afraid of doing an internship and that in fact, completing one will be one of the best decisions you’ll make! Internship programmes are up there with the best opportunities you will be given at third level - I completed a nine-month programme in my third year at one of the big 4 accounting companies, Ernst & Young, and couldn’t recommend it more. This experience has opened so many new avenues for me and has highlighted my strengths, while also giving me an idea of the career path I hope to take after my final year. Depending on the course you’re doing, an internship may be offered as part of your degree (as was the case for me), or it may not, in which case you may have to complete the internship during the summer months. Some people see it as a waste of your limited summers, but I would completely disagree and see it as an extremely valuable use of your time.
From a personal perspective, the internship year was a good introduction to the ‘real world’. Initially, I was fearful that I wasn’t ready to enter the world of work and was conscious that I didn’t want to enter a working 9-5 job as I’m sure a lot of you can relate to! However, it ended up being a great in-between period where I still felt like a student but was also getting experience in a multinational firm where I was dealing with real clients and best of all – getting paid! For those of you that want more independence and would like to leave home for a few months, interning in a different city could be a great option - some of the other interns I was working with in EY came from all over Ireland and took the few months as a great chance to learn what it is like to live and work on their own. EY for example, have offices in Cork, Dublin, Limerick, Galway and Waterford – with hundreds more all over the world, including London, New York and Paris – if you’re desperate to get away, this could potentially be an amazing opportunity!
Countries in yellow have EY offices! - https://www.ey.com/ie/en/ourlocations
The hiring process for many of these companies will require an application, usually with a cover letter and a CV. The interview process is undoubtedly scary and intimidating – I distinctly remember being terrified in the lead up to my interview. My advice here is to be yourself and to remember that it’s never going to be as bad as you think. Interviewing is an essential life skill and something that we will all need to do over the course of our careers – getting experience of it now will be so helpful in years to come. Beginning the job, there’s no need to fear about being out of your depth as most companies will have at least an initial training period and time for you to settle into your new role – they aren’t expecting you to know everything in your first few weeks so use this time to take in as much as you can and learn from more senior members on your team.
As time goes on, you will be given more complicated tasks and will have additional responsibilities. I remember welcoming more difficult tasks and felt ready for it after I had settled into my role. There was a great deal of interacting with clients which was certainly a little intimidating but something I began to enjoy – I was representing a multinational company to clients who were paying a lot of money for me to be there so there was certainly pressure to perform and carry out my work professionally. An important part of my learning process was making sure to ask plenty of questions. More experienced members of my team were always happy to answer and help me if I was stuck – many of the people you be working with will only be a few years ahead of you in their careers, so getting their advice on what steps you could take and what avenues are open to you is incredibly helpful.
One of the most enjoyable parts of your time on internship will be the social life. Many of these companies will organise regular nights out for their staff and will spend a lot of money on locations and drinks – the Christmas party in EY for example was in the Guinness Storehouse where we were provided a free dinner, two bottles of wine per table and as much Guinness as you could ever want! The party was one of the best nights out of the year and I got to know so many new people within the company! As a warning however, it is important to not enjoy yourself TOO much as there will be important people at these events, who you don’t want to make a fool of yourself – I’ll say no more! However, I think it is important to mention that I made some really close friends while working in EY and got to know seniors and managers that have already become useful in terms of referencing for jobs post internship and advice for what I hope to do after college. CSR days will also be held throughout the year which are usually good craic and give you a chance to make a difference in the local community.
Myself and some fellow interns enjoying some free Guinness!
The beauty of an internship is that it is not a permanent contract, so there’s no reason you have to commit to a career in that area – this is really beneficial as regardless of whether you enjoy the work you’re doing, you will still get a lot out of it. After my 9 months’ work, I decided I didn’t want to that department – however, I still wouldn’t change a thing as I needed the experience to realise that. Still, for those that do enjoy their time and would like to return, often the firm will offer a Graduate contract to an intern upon completion of their degree if they have worked hard and given a good impression to the more senior members of the firm. Having a job lined up before your final year in college can take a massive weight off your shoulders and can allow you to focus on your studies in an already stressful year.
Sign here please! - https://blog.cinfin.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/10/signing-contract
I hope I have highlighted in this blog how important and worthwhile I believe doing an internship can be. I think its difficult for students to determine exactly what it is they want in life and what direction they want their career to go in at such a young age. An internship can do wonders in illuminating what it is you might want or don’t want! On reflection, the year I spent in EY was incredibly beneficial both in terms of helping me decide what I want to pursue in the future and helping to prepare me for that ‘real world’ so many students fear! I urge you to do the same – I promise you won’t regret it.