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3 Reasons Why Marketing Internships are Your Best Introduction to The Industry

Have you always wanted to work in a field where you can flex your creative skills? Do you take pride in assisting people to communicate more effectively? Are you passionate about digital or print media? Then it looks like you’re on your way to a career in the marketing industry. With the prevalence of marketing in our everyday lives across print and digital mediums and social platforms, it is an exciting field to pursue for up and coming professionals.
Current students studying a marketing degree might not realise how much the industry itself places emphasis on the practical skills involved in delivering a high standard for clients, but one way you can work on your craft is by pursuing a marketing internship during your degree. Internships in marketing make you job-ready and in the know about cutting edge ideas in the field. To add to this, marketing interns learn how to apply the skills and knowledge you’ve learned during your degree in the real world, with the guidance of a supervisor to give you insider tips that will benefit your marketing career in the long run.
Want to know more about how to get into the field of marketing and be the type of candidate who can make a difference? Let’s go over three reasons why marketing internships are your best introduction to an industry that’s cutting edge and creative.

Marketing Internship

1. You can build a portfolio of sample pieces you’ve worked on
Marketing can come in many different forms, to suit a variety of purposes. Copywriters focus on creating written material that can effectively position the consumer to feel included, whereas visual marketing often takes shape in the graphic design and media space. When your internship is finished and you’re ready to apply for jobs, you will already have a portfolio of your creative work ready to present yourself as a star candidate. A portfolio is a highly advantageous addition to your professional skillset and should be updated on a continual basis, even after your internship.

2. You can work with a variety of exciting clientele
Think of all of the high quality advertising campaigns you’ve seen across digital and social media platforms. So many content creators and businesses can benefit from having an effective marketing campaign behind their products. Your day to day responsibilities and tasks during your marketing internship can be as diverse and exciting as the clients you’ll come across. What could be better than finishing your marketing internship with a portfolio of example projects and all the industry contacts from your role.

Marketing Internship in Australia

3. You can build up your skills in business strategy and communication
In marketing, it’s important to balance a detail-oriented outlook with big picture thinking in order to make the most impact. It’s a highly collaborative field, with the services that marketers like you can provide to clients is essentially, doing business with them to ensure their growth through certain platforms and media. A marketing internship will not only get you flexing your creative juices, it will increase your business brain. Analytics is a major part of the marketing field, and the ability to not only interpret but build upon the data will make the difference between a successful and memorable marketing strategy and one that doesn’t cover all aspects of a campaign.

Watch this if you want to know more about How to Prepare for a Marketing

Marketing is a rewarding career for all the creatives and big picture thinkers, who want to explore their curiosity and be in a role that suits their collaborative outlook.

The world of advertising and effective messaging requires people who can communicate with brands to create exciting and targeted content. This in demand industry is evolving every single day, and your professional life as a marketing professional will always keep you in the know regarding the most current products, businesses, events, and other exciting ventures. You can help businesses communicate their message to the best of your ability to do so, and empower people to reach their intended audience. If your passion is in communication and creativity, then this is the field for you, and internships in marketing can help you build your skills along the way. A career in marketing can offer you many benefits, including work/life balance, the ability to be both creative and strategic across digital and print mediums, and a working culture that is collaborative and exciting.

Marketing can open so many doors for you, but every superstar marketing professional needs to start somewhere. If you are interested in perusing the current availabilities for marketing internships so that you can get your best introduction to the industry, check out the vacancies page to see what Premium Graduate Placements has for you.

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5 Tips To Boost Your Confidence During Your Internship

Just got accepted into an internship program and already feeling the nervous energy hit you, big time? For many people, being part of an internship is the first of many steps taken in the journey to pursue the career of your dreams. There are so many possibilities that can arise from internship opportunities and it’s an advantageous choice to make at the beginning of your working life. It’s important to remember that maximising your professional skillset shouldn’t come at the expense of your confidence.

It’s normal to have pre-internship nerves, but if you find that you’re anxious about your performance then these feelings can kick into overdrive. The good news is that an internship is scaffolded to consolidate your professional abilities – a framework that’s essentially designed to increase your confidence.

Boost confidence

1. Keep a notebook to document your thoughts and memories

At the end of your internship placement, you’ll want to look back on the good times you had, both professionally and personally. It’s important to keep note of the positives, but also to not be afraid to be aware of your limitations and skills that can be improved. You can keep track of your daily tasks as an intern, as well as potential ideas for projects to work on in future. Keeping notes in a journal is a great way to brainstorm in group settings and meetings. Whatever purpose it serves to you, a notebook journal can be proof that your knowledge in the area is expanding as you consolidate your professional skills.

2. Ask questions about what’s new in the industry

Curiosity is infectious, and many people underestimate the power of asking questions. During your internship, you’ll be supervised by a mentor who will monitor your progress and give you tips and tricks to take forth into your career. Asking questions boosts your confidence because it makes you a standout candidate in the eyes of potential employers. A high level of soft skills in communication are sought after by managers who wish to cultivate a sense of harmony within the team. On the other side of the coin, being an effective communicator makes for a great listener.

3. Take the time to build your network

If your idea of networking consists of intimidating displays of extraverted conversation between the high-powered people in the industry, then you’d be surprised to find that professional networking can be as low-key as you want it to be. Informal catch ups with your supervisor or peers can be a great way to craft the network you’d like to have as you enter your career. A gesture as small as a coffee catch up with your peer or supervisor, or a message on LinkedIn can be meaningful and intentional ways to build a robust network.

4. Remember that everyone has to start somewhere

It’s easy to feel like a small fish in a big pond as an intern, but an internship places emphasis on learning and improving so that you can be as prepared as possible. All of the people who are in senior positions had to start as an entry level employee in the industry, and many didn’t have the insider knowledge given to them through internship opportunities. Internships put you above the rest in terms of being in the know and knowing what to expect on a day-to-day basis, which is something quite jarring that people who have no internship experience can feel!

5. Be kind to yourself on your journey

It’s always important to remember that self-confidence comes from within, and this can be a difficult thing for many people to realise. For many people who start out in their industry without prior experience, it can be daunting to suddenly be thrust into the real working world without any practise. This is why internships are so in-demand and a good way to invest in developing your skillset. Keep having the mindset that you are an intern for a purpose, and that’s to increase your employability.

5. Be kind to yourself on your journey

Read Also: PROFESSIONALISM AT YOUR INTERNSHIP

An internship experience is one to remember fondly as a time of gaining meaningful professional experience before entering the working world. There are many ways to boost your confidence during the course of your internship, and these include keeping track of your thoughts and progress, practising your communication skills like asking questions and active listening, and building a network. Ultimately, the common thread between all of these tips is to see yourself as the star candidate that you are worthy of being.

If you are looking for more information about pursuing an internship in your city, have a look at the current vacancies with Premium Graduate Placements.

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5 Signs That An Internship Is A Perfect Fit For You

Finding the perfect internship for your career is a bit like shopping for the perfect item that you’ve been dreaming of having. It needs to serve a purpose, whether that’s like a pair of shoes that provides the ultimate experience in comfort and practicality, or a technological device that makes your life more convenient. If you’re a student who is about to graduate or you’re in the midst of your degree, then you might be considering pursuing internship opportunities that can give you a purposeful entry point into your professional life.

Here are 5 signs that you can use to see if an internship is a perfect fit for you.
Want to learn more about the future of work and take the steps to present yourself as job-ready? Here’s the top three reasons why internships are on the rise in 2022.

1. The internship aligns with your career

An internship should provide you with a gateway into your dream career. If it’s in a role that you might not think about pursuing, then that’s ok – but as long as it is within the scope of what you can see yourself doing professionally in future, that’s the key point. If you’re still unsure of what you want to do for a job, then that’s completely ok! You can pursue an internship that follows a combination of your strengths and interests. Strengths are skills that you feel confident in your ability to do to a certain standard. Your interests are the areas that you gravitate toward – this could be a hobby, or an area you’d like to know more about.

2. It suits your work-life balance

Our world is increasingly leaning toward putting employees first, and this can be said for internships as well. This focus on connection and collaboration within the workplace and within professional training can provide you with a balanced approach to your internship. For certain roles that can be completed via remote work, there are internships that follow suit. If you’ve always dreamed about working interstate, there are internship vacancies around Australia. Gone are the days where entering the workforce means sacrificing your sense of work-life balance. Your internship should provide you with a realistic overview of the workload to expect within a real-life setting.

3. You find that your goals are clearer

Goal setting is something that everyone should do to challenge themselves, no matter what stage of their career they’re in. The art of making goals is much more profound than many realise! Goals should increase in complexity over time as you gain more confidence and self-efficacy, as well as being measurable so that you can look upon your progress to continuously improve. They should be an accurate reflection of your trajectory, and focus on building you up, not founded upon negativity or self-consciousness. If you find an internship where your goal-setting is easier and more measurable, then that’s a sign of success!

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4. It allows for networking opportunities

A large portion of your future working life will entail making and keeping connections with people within a professional community. This could include people who are your peers, mentors, and people you’d like to collaborate with and share knowledge about the industry. Internship opportunities should provide you with these chances to start building a robust network that you can take into your real working life. The people within your network can potentially be referees that can endorse your skills and character when applying for jobs throughout your career.

5. You can develop a portfolio

Internships are practical experiences. Many degrees only focus on acquiring knowledge, but what about the everyday skills needed for the role? This is where the learn-by-doing method of an internship can greatly benefit your career. At the end of your internship, you’ll want to have accumulated proof of your ability to put these skills into practice. For many industries, such as technology, design, media, and advertising, this can look like a portfolio of tasks you’ve completed. If your internship doesn’t include projects, then your CV can demonstrate the transferrable skills you’ve acquired. The most important thing is to keep a record of all of the wonderful things you’ve learnt during the course of your internship placement, as this will come in need during an interview process when you will be asked to specifically talk about what you’ve achieved in your working life.

Read Also: PROFESSIONALISM AT YOUR INTERNSHIP

Internships are a wonderful opportunity for you to increase your skills and consolidate your knowledge in a professional area of your choice. For many, finding the perfect internship should meet certain criteria that is according to what you are personally looking to get out the experience. The perfect fit for you should make you feel like you are able to see your growth and progression by building upon your strengths and weaknesses and integrating into the workplace community.

Want to know more about internships and how they can be advantageous for you? With Premium Graduate Placements, internships can provide you with the kind of mentorship and workplace experience that can compliment your studies. Put yourself in the best position you can to succeed by browsing through our current internship vacancies.

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Why Internships Are On The Rise in 2022

If you’re a current student or a job seeker looking for opportunities, you’re more than likely acquainted with what internships can offer you to boost your career skills. But for those of you who are new to the game of the working world, internships are professional placements designed to give a candidate a robust skillset and working knowledge in a chosen career. Internships are most common with students, but in reality they are designed for anyone who is looking for extra experience in between jobs, or for people who have made a career change. It’s no surprise that internships are booming in popularity in the recent years, and in 2022 they are expected to be a major part of the entry-level working world.

Internships

Want to learn more about the future of work and take the steps to present yourself as job-ready? Here’s the top three reasons why internships are on the rise in 2022.

1. Internship placements are often necessary to graduate from university

For many degrees, an emphasis on professional practice has seen an increase to ensure that students are “work ready”. This means that alongside learning the knowledge and skills you’ve studied in the classroom, current students will get a chance to apply their skills in real-life situations. Oftentimes, this might look like undergoing a week-long placement or an even longer one that could last a few months. Focusing on the experience of learning how to make a difference in your chosen field can give you the self-confidence you need to push yourself to the next step. If your degree doesn’t have a professional practicum component to it, then considering an internship can benefit you in numerous ways, including learning about the ins and outs of your chosen industry in a supportive, scaffolded environment.

Related Posts: WHAT TO PUT ON YOUR RESUME IF YOU HAVE NO EXPERIENCE

2. Internships provide a flexible work environment

If there’s one thing we’ve learned during the last few years, it’s that employers and employees must adapt to suit the needs of individuals. Flexible working environments are here to stay for the benefit of everyone, and this is no different to internship opportunities. Many internships are on a part-time basis, meaning that you can fit in your studies with time to successfully complete your internship. The rise of remote work has given people the chance to work smarter, not just harder. Choosing remote internship options mean that you can essentially ‘work’ anywhere around Australia without having to leave your home. For example, if you live in Adelaide but want to intern for a company in your field based in Sydney, you can also get to experience networking with fellow peers who are where you will be in a professional sense in the future! Think of all of the practical advice you can get before you start. You’ll know all of the industry secrets and top tips to make your entrance into your chosen field a seamless process.

3. Internships prepare you for the real world of your career

It’s no secret that entering into the workforce can be a really stressful and overwhelming time of our lives, especially if the only experience you’ve had is limited to what you’ve learnt in the lecture theatre while studying. While it might be easy to recall concepts and knowledge that you’ve learnt during a degree, for many people the idea of “learning by doing” rings true and more practical ways of learning can broaden the horizon for you to acquire the nuance in applying skills across different situations. Feeling lost is a common emotion that entry-level workers increasingly report, but it doesn’t have to be a rollercoaster of difficulty if you’ve already acquainted yourself with the expectations of the job position during an internship. For example, you might be well aware of the tasks you might complete upon a day-to-day basis on the job, but actually having a realistic timeframe of your day is different. Each day comes with new challenges, and internship opportunities do not simulate them for you – they are real life experiences!

Internships

Read Also: PROFESSIONALISM AT YOUR INTERNSHIP

The working world has shifted overtime to meet the demand that change brings. Over the recent years, many factors, including a pandemic have brought out an environment where employees’ needs are the focus. As a result, internship programs have skyrocketed in popularity. Internships place an emphasis on creating a supportive work environment where candidates can effectively learn without placing an enormous amount of pressure to immediately be successful, and people can “try it before they buy” into a career. We all go through learning curves, and entering work is one of them that doesn’t get the attention it deserves.

Are you interested in being part of a professional culture that values giving staff meaningful experiences and effectively preparing them for a successful and fulfilling career? These are all aspects of internships that can benefit you directly. Have a look at the current internship vacancies or mentorship programs with Premium Graduate Placements.

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10 Quick Tips To Avoid Failure In Internship Interviews

The interview stage before an internship is always something you can look forward to, no matter how nerve-wracking it might seem in the lead up to it. It’s necessary to prepare for interviews so that you can effectively make the most of the time you have to advocate for yourself.

10 Quick Tips To Avoid Failure In Internship Interviews

Here are 10 quick tips to avoid failure in internship interviews.

1. Research the position before the Internship Interviews

This one goes without saying, that it’s expected that you know about the position before you reach the interview stage. It’s recommended to also research the company you’re looking to intern for, so that you can ensure that your values align with the vision of the company. When the interviewer asks if you have any questions, your knowledge of the company and the position can help you ask an in-depth and informed question. Interviewers are always impressed by thoughtful insight!

2. Get your portfolio in order

A professional portfolio is a collection of your work to demonstrate the variety of your skills and how you apply your knowledge. Portfolios can be creative examples, such as copy you’ve written for social media if you’re looking to start your marketing career or a portfolio of blueprint designs you’ve come up with when studying architecture or civil engineering. If you have no prior work experience in your chosen field, then never fear – you can always use examples of projects you’ve worked on in a course or work you’ve done in your own time.

You can also read: HOW TO WRITE AN EXCELLENT RESUME

3. Practise potential responses to internship interviews questions

Preparing for interviews is easier than it ever has been with the internet right at our fingertips. You can get an idea about expected interview questions that are common in your industry of choice and tailor your answers to them to advocate for yourself.
You can also watch:

4. Talk to a friend or mentor for encouragement

It’s important to be supported in our journey to career success, no matter what stage of your professional life you’re in. Talk to a friend, a member of your family, a peer, or a mentor about your goals and how you’re planning to achieve them. As people, we all have our blind spots or we might be selling ourselves short, but the help of trusted people can really shine the light to show us how capable we are!

You can also read: HOW A MENTOR CAN HELP YOUR CAREER

5. Stay up to date on industry trends
Countless innovation is taking place across industries at any given moment. To make yourself a standout candidate, research what’s happening that’s currently exciting in your sector of choice. If it’s a new marvel of civil engineering that’s in the process of being constructed, or if it’s an effective marketing campaign that just got released, then bringing it up at an internship interview shows that you are an astute and passionate person in the pursuit of your career.

Doing Accounting Internship in Australia

6. Find out your why to experience maximum professional fulfilment
If you’re looking for ways to increase your self-efficacy in the early stages of your career, you might find that a mindset oriented toward establishing purpose can be the motivation you need to make the most of your experience. This very idea is what author Simon Sinek calls “finding your why” as a way to implement this thinking in practical ways. Asking yourself “why” is a clarifier and puts everything in perspective when pursuing your purpose.

7. Smile and positivity will radiate
Have you ever felt the instant calm that comes from seeing someone smiling, even for a brief second? It might as well be contagious positivity. Smiling puts you and the people around you at ease. Interviews are stressful situations, but seeing a genuine smile has the power to make someone’s day.

8. Dress to impress
A well fitted outfit for your interview is a must to leave a good impression. Styling yourself appropriately is key. If you’re working in a creative industry, express your talent through your clothes, or keep it smart and formal. Think about it: would you hire someone who showed up to an interview dressed in too casual clothing? It’s important to respect your time and take yourself seriously as a professional by dressing the part.
Find some tips on how to dress properly for your interview in the following videos:
For Male

For Female

9.  Fake it ‘till you make it
With all of these nine previous tips in mind, let’s not forget one of the most important ones: confidence! Having a healthy sense of confidence can radiate positive vibes in an interview. You’re not only putting yourself at ease, but also the interviewers!

10.  Above all, be kind to yourself
Sometimes, we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to succeed, and this is no different with internship interviews. If you don’t know the answer to a question in your interview, it’s not the end of the world. You’re not expected to know everything, and demonstrating your willingness to learn is crucial. There is always something to learn from any situation, and this attitude is so valuable to bring to an internship.

Much like a job interview, internship interviews are a part of entering into the workforce. Internship interviews are easier to succeed than they appear, and with these 10 tips in mind, you can avoid failure and set yourself up for success. If you’re looking for more personalised internship interview coaching or want to peruse internship vacancies near you, then have a browse on the Premium Graduate Placements home page to learn more. Best of luck for the internship interview!

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What to Put on Your Resume if You Have No Experience

What to Put on Your Resume if You Have No Experience

A successful resume is detailed, curated, and relevant for the job that you want to apply for. But for those starting a new career or people fresh out of university, having no demonstrated work experience can seem daunting, especially when competing with experienced professionals (and glowing resumes to match!). However, no experience does not mean you won’t be successful in toward your dream career. Here are our top tips on sprucing your resume game up. Before you know it, what begins as a blank Word document will be a glowing Resume to showcase the best of you in a meaningful way.

 

Making resume for fresh graduates

1. Internships

For people with no professional work experience, consider completing an internship. Internships are an advantageous way to gain the basic level of skills and knowledge that you need for meeting entry-level employment in the industry of your choice. Internships require a level of commitment and a development of expertise that holds credibility in the eyes of potential employers. During an internship, your progress will be supported by industry mentors who can give you the perspective you need to understand your strengths and weaknesses better before you enter the workforce. Internships assist in developing your independence and increase the level in which you can successfully complete tasks and projects. Learning to integrate yourself within a team, with colleagues and within the company culture are also benefits of internships. Overall, those who complete an internship find themselves attaining personal growth in matters of self-confidence, self-efficacy, and real-world experience in their chosen field.

2. Volunteer experience

Have you volunteered in the community for a charity or given your valuable free time to a cause? Having volunteer experience can provide employers with an insight into the type of person that you are. For many people, volunteering is a selfless act and demonstrates that you are seeking engagement with a higher purpose toward others. Volunteering can also be across industries: for example, that local festival you volunteered for can come in handy for a future job in event planning and management. Putting volunteer experience on a resume if you have no prior experience can highlight your ability to work within a team, work across diverse contexts and causes, and that you have an interest or passion that makes you a unique person.

3. Education

Finding jobs for students with no experience can be tricky if you are you still in high school, university, or in a vocational course that will give you certification in a marketable skill. Whether you’ve completed your studies or not, having your education listed on your resume is crucial. For employers, this signifies that you are competent in literacy and numeracy skills. In the case of university degrees or vocational certifications, it means that you meet the nationally held requirements of knowledge and understanding within a specific industry.

4. Highlight your transferrable skills – and provide evidence!

Transferrable work skills are invaluable, as jobs require a level of flexibility across all industries. So if you have proficiency in Microsoft Suite, or love the energy that comes with honing your skills in collaboration and teamwork settings, then list these on your resume. Critically, skills in both written and oral communication are necessary to establish in a resume if you have no prior professional experience. The ability to think critically on the job, along with problem solving capabilities, are two examples of transferrable skills that you can demonstrate on your resume. It is not guaranteed that even the people with the most professional experience are willing to develop these skills to a desirable standard!

piles of resumes on the table

If you are entering a new career and have minimal or no experience at all to show on a resume, then there are ways that you can. Regardless of the amount of professional experience someone has, all companies require employees to undergo some form of induction. This be a period of workplace training or supervision to ensure that they are working in accordance with the responsibilities of the role. If you have no experience but you are dedicated to learning more about the necessary skills for the job, then this enthusiasm is a genuine strong point that will make you a memorable and respected person over those who are experienced but disinterested.Overall, your potential as an employee is a valuable asset to a company – in fact, some companies see no or minimal professional experience on a resume as a positive, in that they can train you in accordance with the vision and/or method of their company. Don’t fret if you have no experience, as there are always meaningful and relevant details in life that you can draw upon in your resume.

If you are interested in getting experience to help boost your resume, then consider checking out our Premium Internship Program, or for personalised resume tips and tricks, view our K22 Mentorship Program.

 

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How a Mentor Can Help Your Career

We all know the struggle and overwhelming nerves when entering a new career without the right help, guidance or connections to show you the ropes. Luckily, a mentor can help in any situation to make your transitions into new stages of your career smoother! A mentor is similar to a colleague who you would treat as a role model with invaluable guidance to help you advance through your career path. They have all the right insight from their previous years of knowledge and experience to show you how to avoid the mistakes you might make when first starting out. They’ll show you how to navigate through unfamiliar work situations, advice for dealing with burn out, or direct you towards career opportunities which newbies may not be aware of. Mentors have a higher workplace status than you and can provide you with all the necessary training and development to accelerate your career.

Finding a Mentor

Finding a Mentor

A work mentor is crucial to any stage of your career- whether you’re searching for your next role, adjusting to a new job or trying to gracefully leave a job. A lot of companies offer mentorship programs to connect you with people in your field of study or department. Alternatively, you can seek out a mentor by reaching out to your professional networks at school; University, or online listings for job coaches. Your peers and teachers may even be great choices to be fill-in helpers if you are struggling – but ideally, anyone with several years of experience ahead of you can be a great fit.

Expand Your Strengths

Acknowledge Your Shortcomings

Mentors offer a valuable and insightful perspective on how you handle challenges or solve problems. Don’t forget, they’ve been where you have been before. Their past experiences can inform you on what is holding you back from climbing the career ladder, and how to remedy your limitations. Your flaws may not always be obvious to you but for someone with intuition and industry know-how, they can be quickly pinpointed. Having a strong relationship with your mentor will make it easy and comfortable for you to speak about your weaknesses without it feeling like a daunting confession or exposing setback, as opposed to telling a boss or supervisor.

Expand Your Strengths

Acknowledging your strengths goes hand in hand with being aware of your shortcomings. You should know what you’re best at doing as these are usually habits or tasks you feel most proud of completing. You may even have talents you may not

realise! A mentor who’s seen countless people complete tasks you’re currently tackling, will have an eye for how the best of the best perform certain roles, and can advise you of any potential skills you possess that would be good for certain roles. By working alongside these career coaches, you’ll be building upon your skills and knowledge to upgrade your performance at work. Better yet, a mentor can recognise potential in any current skills that you have to help you improve and create valuable strengths out of.

Reinvigorate Interest and Energy

A key duty of your mentor is to motivate and help you fuel your passion for your career. With the right guidance and affirmations, they can inspire you to achieve your short and long-term goals, and advance your career. If you ever feel complacent or burnt out, a mentor can reinvigorate your interest and energy towards your role, so you don’t dread coming to work each day. This can include passing on information about an upcoming workshop relevant to your career which might spark interest in a topic you might have forgotten or overlooked previously. Alternatively, they might even suggest you take time off to help you find time to reflect and reconnect with your enjoyment at work. Either way, anyone is susceptible to burn out, so having a mentor at hand as a safety net to guide you through your low moments can not only save your career, but give you the push you need to be better at your job than ever before.

Learn Critical Insights

With years of experience, mentors have a bank of knowledge to share in regards to the professional world, your industry, or simply where the best coffee around the building is. You can consider them as a friend who will catch you up on the latest industry insights, cross-department news and maybe just to help you with homework. Australian employers appreciate newcomers who can champion a professional discipline and initiative, which you can model from your mentor. There’s always more to learn and having an advisor who’s full of knowledge is very beneficial.

Juggling Tough Choices

The third person insight of a mentor will give you insight on how you can handle difficult decisions or work situations you may not be able to take on by yourself. You might not always have the opportunity to share personal details or issues with your other colleagues, but your mentor is very much like a buddy you can discuss your feelings or mental health with. They’re a safe zone to debate topical issues and opinions or just for you to vent to without the fear of being judged while you talk it out. In the end, they’ll give you qualified advice on how to make your decisions or come to a conclusive opinion if you happen to be tossing up between difficult choices such as choosing between job offers.

Networking With Qualified Professionals

If you are new to the industry, you will probably need someone to help you find an ‘in’. There’s no better way to do this than to expand and diversify your professional network, and a mentor will have access to an entirely new and different network you aren’t familiar with if you are transitioning out of University. Mentors will help you find connections with the most qualified, relevant and knowledgeable individuals who can help you access niche opportunities and wisdom to further your career and achieve your goals.

Networking With Qualified Professionals

Final Takeaways

Maintaining a healthy and successful relationship with a career mentor is incredibly enriching and productive. You never know when you might hit a low point or be in dire need of guidance in unfamiliar situations, and a mentor is a trusty supporter who can give you new perspectives, help you build on your strengths, deliver relevant industry news to you and expand your professional network. You’re expanding your career options and reach in ways you wouldn’t have imagined. So start seeking out a coach who is the right fit for you to help you navigate job experiences and enhance your workplace performance.

Here at PGP Australia, we have mentors and career coaches with years of industry insight and experience who are all passionate about kick-starting the careers of the future workforce of Australia. Via our K22 Mentorship Program, participants can receive a personalised service and advice on everything Job Search, Resume, Application, Interview and Internship – related. Get in touch with us on our Contact Us page for more information on this program.

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Bouncing back after a Job Rejection

How to Bounce Back After an Internship or Job Rejection

So you’ve studied the history of the business you’ve applied for, completed all the internship or job interview prep and maybe even went for a coffee with one of the employees you coincidentally befriended at the workplace. A week later and you’ve received an email noticing you that you weren’t selected to fill the internship or job role. Rejection in any form can understandably sting a fair bit- but there is more to learn than to lose in these difficult times. Now is not the time to build up your insecurities by telling yourself you weren’t good enough for that internship or for that job, but to set new goals for yourself to better prepare yourself for the next hurdle. To make the most of a closed door, we’ve compiled a list of ways you can turn a disheartening experience into a motivational one.

Rejection

Separate Yourself From the Situation

Recruiters have to sift through countless resumes, conduct numerous interviews and tiringly select a small fraction of applicants to hire for that internship or job. The fact a hiring manager considered your Resume and reached out to you to schedule an interview is impressive within itself, and you should acknowledge those small achievements as many others didn’t receive this privilege. By taking on this new perspective, you’ll significantly diminish the feeling of rejection. A healthy and positive strategy to overcome your disappointment is to step back from your screen to celebrate making it that far in the intern or job hiring process.

Bounce Back After an Internship or Job Rejection

Don’t Take It Personally

You’re a very accomplished, qualified and talented person, and an internship or job offer rejection is not a measure of your professional worth. It is important that you tell yourself this in times of hardship because your skills and knowledge are not minimised by a small setback. When hiring managers decide to pursue other candidates, they are taking into consideration the needs of the business project or work-wise, the skills needed at the time, and other criteria which you cannot control. Don’t take the defeat as a personal attack! It is very easy to scrutinise yourself for not ‘making it’ to the next internship or job round, but one must remember that recruiters also have a tough job of sorting through an endless list of criteria, so don’t be too quick to blame yourself. Sometimes, it’s good to remind yourself that if they decide you’re not the best fit for their business as an intern or employee, you’re better off applying your skills elsewhere.

You’re Not Alone

It helps to reassure yourself that it’s not an uncommon experience among students and other job ready individuals to face a job rejection. You can try reaching out to others with this shared experience who can empathise with you and provide relevant advice. Remember that everyone at some point – yes even Recruiters have been in the same position as you. Mutual support through enduring similar situations can help propel one another further along your job search journey. In today’s competitive job market, it’s possible for hundreds of people to experience job rejections all at once for the same role.

Thank Your Interviewer The Same Day

Maintaining a positive outlook after a job rejection is very crucial in keeping perspective. This way, you remain poised and realistic by not letting any negative feelings accumulate. Sending a thank you email the day of, or following day, will uphold a positive impression on the employer who may still be consolidating a reserve list of candidates to revise a week later for any other internship or job positions. We recommend you reach out to not only the employer, but the specific interviewer you had the pleasure of spending the morning or afternoon with. Everyone plays a challenging role from either end of this business deal and it’s good to show them some gratitude and appreciation for meeting with you. This personal connection will allow you to find job leads in the future if any opportunity arises!

Don’t Burn Bridges

Staying in touch with prospective employers and the company will keep doors open for you even if they seem closed. Having personal connections with these networks might lead to the attainment of internships or jobs down the line, or provide you insights on upcoming events to develop your career journey. Taking the proactive approach to nurture professional relationships will build your confidence, especially since you’ll never know when your paths may cross again.

Learn From The Experience

You may find that after being rejected, you’re left on a vague note without enough information or feedback from the interviewer to help you improve your internship or job application skills. To alleviate any doubts you’ve imposed upon yourself, ask yourself introspective questions and clearly recount every stage of your application to see where you can fill out the gaps in your skillset. Some questions you can ask yourself are:

  • What could you have done differently?
  • What could be missing in your resume?
  • What did you learn from the interview stage?
  • How effectively did you express yourself when making first impressions with the interviewer?
  • Did you describe and convey your strengths well enough?
Bounce Back After an Internship or Job Rejection

Being introspective and taking initiative to plan corrective action will enable you to fix any mistakes and polish up your interviewing ability. Targeting these weaknesses will in turn give you the real competitive advantage in your next application. You don’t want to repeat any mistakes in the future or you’d actually waste your time delivering sub-par interview performances. Rejection can be difficult to overcome in the short term but the push-back feeling you get from it is an invaluable learning curve to position you for future growth as an upcoming intern or employee.

Retry For That Dream Job!

You’ve reflected on your experience, kept in touch with your former interviewers and maintained a positive outlook. It’s time to cash in on your upskilling! You already know the pace and vibe of the internship or job interview, and you can expect the type of questions asked. You’re now better prepared for the interview and you’ll be showing more interest in the role if you stay loyal to applying for the role. Don’t give up on your passions!

Final Takeaways

There isn’t any use in beating yourself up after receiving a rejection letter for job applications. Adopt a positive outlook and consider your shortcomings as an opportunity to reflect and grow, and you’ll be better prepared for future interviews. You did well enough to pass their preliminary recruitment stages so you’ll definitely have a greater chance the next time and are one step closer to getting your dream internship or job!

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Professionalism at Your Internship

Tips on Professionalism at your Internship

Your conduct during your internship says a lot more about you than you may think. Professionalism in the workplace is a valuable trait for any business, whether you’re working in a corporate office, a construction site, or a manufacturing site. Getting the job done is one thing, but maintaining appropriate formalities is a completely different feat you need to keep track of. During your internship, you will need to synthesise professional behaviour into your roles to impress and assure your supervisors and co-workers are aware of your merit. So how exactly can you practice this trait? How can you meet the expectations of your organisation by being viewed as a professional in any given internship work environment? This article will give you all the tips and tricks you’ll need to enhance your work behaviour during your internship.

Tips on Professionalism at your Internship

Be Respectful

The first rule is to be respectful towards others, in order to be seen as respectable, yourself. You might not agree with the opinions or actions of some of your co-workers, but you must do your best to remain respectful and engage in healthy and constructive conversations instead of airing out negative and personal thoughts. The last thing you’d want is to be perceived as immature and unprofessional, which may lead to other unfair assumptions being made about you – not good impressions you would want to make as an intern. Giving everyone time to speak while you listen attentively or going out of your way to do good deeds around the workplace will show your colleagues that you’re thoughtful and considerate of others, which are respectable traits to demonstrate whilst at your internship. Treating everyone equally and respecting the code of conduct in your company will also show an elevated sense of maturity.

Tips on Professionalism at your Internship

Don’t Be Late

Be punctual! Professionals don’t come into the office late and make excuses. You must take accountability in your punctuality and make it a priority to arrive on time for all meetings and projects. The same apply in etiquette for both employees and interns. There is no such thing as an unreliable professional! Showing up on time to work is the bare minimum of your supervisor’s expectations, and clocking in at the right time will prove to your colleagues that you value their time, especially if your punctuality affects them (e.g. meetings or discussions). Take it a step further and try starting work ahead of time by coming in a few minutes early. Sacrificing just a couple minutes of your morning to come in early (with lots of coffee) during your internship, will certainly impress your supervisors, and is definitely worth a sacrifice!

Appropriate Dress Attire

To act the part, you also must dress the part. Even as an intern! Whatever the dress attire requirements are for your workplace, it’s best to follow these expectations to maintain professionalism.

This means no flip flops at the construction site, and ripped jeans at the office. You’ll want to stay neat and clean with your outfits and don’t neglect to iron out any wrinkles and kinks before leaving the house. Have a look at how your co-workers dress to mirror the vibe if there is no dress code. Coming to work is not a fashion show (unless you literally work in a business that requires some glitz and glam), so save the tank tops and platform heels for a night out. Dressing the part effectively may even boost your confidence so you can elevate your professional attitude – even just as an intern. But if you’re ever in doubt, don’t be shy to ask your supervisor or co-workers at the beginning of or during your internship.

Offer Assistance to Your Co-workers

You’re a team player in any job. True professionals are considerate of others and will always lend a hand before people have to ask. We all face challenges at work so be empathetic and assist anyone who may be struggling. Being a professional isn’t just an ‘act’ when you walk through the doors of your workplace, it’s a state of mind which includes being caring, compassionate and selfless in every aspect of your life. Part of the benefits of being an intern is the fresh and exciting insights you will be able to impart on the organisation – whether this be knowledge from your studies or previous work experience. So don’t be afraid of sharing your time, knowledge and perspective with others, especially because you know you’d want people to help you when you need it most.

Don’t Gossip

Work drama and gossip is a rabbit hole you don’t want to get trapped in. Talking down on your co-workers not only raises a lot of doubt surrounding your integrity and respectability, but also encourages unlikeable high school behaviour. You should save any scandalous news for outsiders and avoid being the person who spreads rumours at your internship. In a professional workplace, you should be uplifting towards your co-workers instead of stifling their performance ability by evoking anxiety with gossip.

Work Area Cleanliness

Your workspace should be a reflection of you. Keeping a tidy desk or locker, for instance, will help you keep organised in your responsibilities and you’ll seem to be put together even if you aren’t. Take time every day to sort through your belongings and file all your documents so you don’t have to sift through a pile of items when you are in urgent need of it. Being conscious of your cleanliness will improve and complement your professionalism during your internship.

Tips on Professionalism at your Internship

Stay Positive

Workplace negativity can be very toxic and contagious. Having a positive attitude will rub off on everyone else and exponentially enhance your workplace culture. Being a positive intern will help you hone a professional energy and encourage you to work hard and influence others better. A positive outlook is extremely advantageous so don’t underestimate how much putting on a smile can do for you at your internship.

Non-productive habits such as regular complaining will drop the morale among employees and reduce job satisfaction- neither consequences will be of any benefit to you, so avoid unnecessary complaints and tension. A bad mood is most like a projection of something that happened outside of the office so leave the negative attitude at the door before you walk in. In these cases, separate your personal life from your work life and don’t take out your frustrations on supervisors, customers or co-workers who warranted none of it. If you’re not feeling your best due to complications at work which you can’t fix, consider taking a break if you aren’t feeling fulfilled.

Final Takeaways

Being a professional in the workplace takes more than just playing pretend. You’ve got to look, act and feel the part in every aspect of your life beyond the office. Honing in your skills and values like communication, initiative, respect and positivity will make a great impression on others during your internship and set an even better standard for your co-workers to mirror in their work life.

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Why You Should Intern in a Start-Up

Every successful company began as a simple start-up. As university-level students, you have every opportunity to be a part of the growth and development of a future company by applying for internships. The small-scale structure of start-ups means that their work culture, hierarchy and job tasks will differ from the complex operations and management of mature businesses. Interning at a start-up will reward you with unique experiences and advantages to benefit your career path! A few pros that go with these internships include being exposed to more strategic decision making and creating more enriching contributions to the business’ mission. The flattened hierarchy and reduced formalities might even mean you’ll have more fun than a typical corporate internship.

Gain Real-World Experience

Interning at a start-up can offer you much more range in responsibilities to consolidate gaps in the workforce. You may just be entering the workforce but your job won’t just be crunching numbers and observing business discussions, instead, you will take on projects and tasks typically assigned to qualified professionals. There is a lot of room for self-learning and advanced coursework you’ll be expected to complete.

benefits of interning at a start-up

It is important to note that you, as an intern are no less significant than a permanent employee within a start-up. Your ideas and perspective are crucial to the growth of the business and will go a very long way, regardless of your position on the management hierarchy.

Develop your Entrepreneurial Skills

Start-up interns will be in direct communications with the empowering entrepreneurship and self-starter nature of the young business. By taking on this mentality and learning the ropes of how start-ups function, interns can apply this knowledge onto their personal projects and bring life to their own entrepreneurial ideas. This takes a talent of being resourceful and asking the internal team for feedback and constructive criticism, but in the long term, will serve them well in their career path.

start-up internship

Learn Cross-Departmental Skills

Unlike large multi-national companies with distinctive departments and separate management teams, start-ups operate with much more cross-team collaboration. Within small businesses, projects and discussions are open to all staff to deliver some input, to enrich their operating systems. This cross-team collaborative work is especially helpful to interns because it exposes you to high-level discussions about the financial, management, operations and marketing components within your start-up. By collating effort to bring teams together and enable cross-department teamwork, interns are able to work closely with professionals from a variety of fields and academic or professional backgrounds. This is a great networking opportunity for interns to cut across departments and work on new, unfamiliar tasks which can only develop your fieldwork knowledge. This collapsed hierarchical structure also entails the intern to work closely with the directorship or executive team, giving you rare glimpses into the senior decisions made at the top of the start-up organisation.

Increase Visibility of Your Contributions

As an intern, having highly regarded tasks assigned to you, makes you much more visible as a valuable team member to those at the top of the organisation. The extent of your responsibilities, combined with consistent collaborative work across departments is a very attractive quality to demonstrate to higher-ups. This is advantageous in plenty of ways! While you practice your industry skills, discussion and decision-making skills, you will also be heightening your reputation and appraisals within the industry.  The increased visibility upon your work is a unique benefit to interning at a start-up because being surrounded by such a tight-knit work community allows you to participate in more one-on-one mentoring sessions with your supervisor and opens a much more relaxed and casual feedback loop with your colleagues to help you improve your industry skills and knowledge. Unlike the management system in large companies, you’re more than just a number at a start-up- you will gain access to much more personalised and hands-on experiences! So take your time and show your passion for the work you do as an intern to truly shine amongst the staff, and you’ll make great impressions and expand your network consequently.

Refreshing Work Culture

It’s not to say that start-ups take their work less seriously than large corporate businesses, but start-ups typically have a stronger focus on fostering a fun and enjoyable work culture. You might see regular office events such as happy hour drinks at a local bar, office parties or Christmas dinners. This is all to ensure the staff remains happy, refreshed and well connected with one another to stimulate fresher ideas and discussions to improve the start-up. Interns are invited to all these social events to help them integrate into the workplace and help them gain better connections. You’re welcome to take part in fun activities and friendly competitions with your co-workers as a way to stay efficient, motivated and boost the overall business-wide collaboration. Doing your part as interns will include socialising! You’ll ultimately fuel your ambitions more by immersing yourself in the work culture and it’ll only further motivate you to achieve your career goals.

interning at a start-up

 Opportunity for On-going Work

One of the most exciting aspects of interning at a start-up, aside from listing it on your resume, is being an attractive candidate for long term employment! With all the extra workload and transferable cross-department knowledge you picked up along the journey, you’ll have many more accomplishments and skills than perhaps an intern from an established multinational company. Your chance of landing a long-term employment contract is greater increased by how you are already familiar with the business, how it operates and its staff. After months of the placement, you’ve been trained up to be the right fit for their team by having the necessary key skills and insights and hence your employer is more inclined to offer you a future job with growth opportunities. Don’t forget, start-ups, if run effectively, are expected to grow and expand in the future, so your career journey with the start-up can only prosper in accordance to that potential. Nurturing a fond relationship with the start-up as an intern is highly advantageous!

Final Takeaways

There is a lot to be learnt from interning at a start-up, especially when you are finding your ‘in’ into the workforce. Engaging with a small business can be highly enriching because it offers a diverse array of opportunities including exposure to real-world experience and cross-department insight. Fostering a strong relationship with your colleagues also gives you access to consultations, impressive networks and long-term employment opportunities. Applying for internships may seem daunting, but trust us, you’ll find it to be one of the most rewarding experiences to kickstart your career journey!