Internships and summer jobs: Why get one, what are they, and where can you find them?
Careers and Employability Service - University of Portsmouth
Providing tailored and professional support to our students and graduate employers to assist in the recruitment process
There are many benefits to getting an internship or summer job, and all these benefits have something in common; they improve your employability and give you an edge in a competitive job market.
In this article, you’ll understand the difference between completing an internship and getting a part-time job, and learn the benefits each can provide.
What is an internship?
An internship is a period of work experience arranged for a fixed amount of time. This typically ranges between 1 week to 12 months.
Internships tend to have a fixed structure that includes a set of tasks or a project, and can give you a good idea of what it might be like to work within that industry. The work is likely to be entry level with a hands-on approach and a focus on training and skills development.
What are the benefits of an internship?
Internships provide lots of benefits such as:
When is the best time to do an internship?
Generally, internships will be available during University vacation periods. If you’re looking for a summer internship, the best time to look and start applying is around April/May.?
Where can you find internship opportunities?
There are several ways you can search for opportunities. You can check:
If you’re looking for job boards that are more specific to your chosen industry, check out our career guides . They offer career advice that is tailored to the sector, so you might find suggestions for places to search that you haven’t come across yet.
You can also take a look at our Placements and Internship webpage for a list of even more job sites where you might find something of interest.
Bright Network Virtual Internships
The Bright Network are offering a four-day virtual internship programme between the 17th - 20th of June. It takes place every summer and is an immersive programme packed with valuable insights and opportunities to help you navigate your career path. The current sectors on offer are:
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If you’d like to find out more and apply, have a look at The Bright Network’s Internship Experience UK 2024 webpage .
What is a summer job?
A summer job is normally a part-time role that you do for the duration of your summer vacation. They’re usually fixed term for around 6 weeks, but there’s also the potential to be kept on when you go back to studies provided the work schedule can be flexible around your academic timetable.
When is the best time to apply for a summer job?
Now is a great time to start searching for your summer job. Depending on the role, and how soon you’d like to start, there are a few things to consider.
Large organisations, like supermarkets, might take weeks between the advertisement date and appointing someone in the role. Smaller organisations, like local shops and bars, typically take new hires on quicker.
Where can you find summer job opportunities??
There are multiple job sites you can check for summer job opportunities:
If you’re unsure of what kind of summer job you’d like, take a quick read of the Prospects Summer Jobs webpage . They’ve made some great suggestions for industries you might not have considered and more links for where you can look.
Applications and support
Applying for a summer job or internship might require a CV and cover letter submission, or an application form.?
For help with CVs, cover letters and application forms , we recommend getting booked in with one of our advisers to get some support if you need it. If you’ve found an opportunity you want to apply for you can even bring the job description with you and they can help with specifically tailoring your application to the role.
You can get started with booking an appointment by filling out and submitting our Career Support Request Form.