The job market is becoming more and more competitive. Students who have spent the twilight of their teenage years grinding out essays in College or University feel a double weight on their shoulders: 1) figuring out what career path they want to take and then 2) trying to find a job in their chosen field. This is not an easy feat and can be daunting for someone juggling the trials and tribulations of entering the world of employment.

Internships help to clear away some of that uncertainty and bridge the gap between theory and practice, because the two can be very different!

We regularly welcome interns at RSA and in this blog, Suzie Stratford, our most recent intern, shares her top 5 benefits of internships:

  • Get hands on experience to help you make that big decision – Everyone’s brains are wired differently which means that we have varied preferences in terms of how we absorb and retain information. Some people read book after book and it sticks, some people prefer to physically try something to be sure of learning it. But, in order to truly know whether a career has the potential to make you happy, you need to experience it on some level.
  • Learn directly from experts – Learning the roles and responsibilities of people in the company directly is much more effective than reading it in a book or on a job specification. Through observation and shadowing experienced people you can find out what sort of projects they are involved with and what skills and knowledge they need to perform their jobs. It provides the prime opportunity to ask plenty of questions and discover secrets to success by finding out what some of the top performers are doing differently.
  • Expand your professional network – Who you know, particularly in Executive Search, Interim Search and Life Sciences is very useful. Even with today’s rapid growth of technology, nothing beats authentic human interaction and relationships. By creating a good impression during your internship, you maximise your opportunities for your future career either directly through the company or sometimes through connections made whilst working.
  • Build your confidence – Stepping out of your comfort zone and achieving success in the ‘real world’ can be a massive confidence boost. The experience you gain is invaluable; it demonstrates key skills in a tangible way for future employers and allows you to learn and develop through project work in a supportive environment.
  • Become more attractive – A candidate who has been proactive and used her/his initiative to do an internship will be boosted up the rankings for possible scholarships, college or university places and ultimately, jobs. Furthermore, you will have established many essential skills such as communication, analytical skills, working as part of a professional team and so on, all of which can be transferred into other jobs.

Whatever your passions and career goals, our advice is ‘get as much experience as you can, because you only know when you try!’

As we say a fond farewell to Suzie, we asked her to share a few words about her experience:

“I spent 4 months at RSA as a marketing intern after graduating from university last year. I thoroughly enjoyed my time working with such a bright, friendly and interesting team of people and had the opportunity to be involved in some very stimulating projects. It really allowed me to understand more about the Executive Search and Life Sciences industry and where I would like to position myself within Life Sciences.  I would highly recommend an internship to anybody who is unsure about what they want to do and is looking to build some great experience and confidence, especially at a company as supportive as RSA.”

We wish all our interns who have been through our doors the very best of luck in their careers.

We are always looking for fresh enthusiastic talent at The RSA Group. If you are interested in an internship or would like to find out more, please contact Sandy Chadwick at sandy.chadwick@thersagroup.com.

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