For our first week of #MyNextSteps, our career advice campaign, we’re tackling the changes around internships and how students can take action despite having had their initial plans challenged or cancelled.
If your internship has been cancelled due to COVID-19, or if your chances of getting summer experience now look smaller – don’t worry! Although some schemes and opportunities are being cancelled or delayed, we’ve got some top tips to make your summer interesting, whatever happens.
1. Reflect on what you want
Use your time to assess what’s most important to you from an internship, or work experience. For example, think about what sector you want experience in; this can be anything from banking, to music and everything in between. Why not try our interactive Summer Planner which will help you reflect on your strengths and priorities for work (found at the bottom of our Building Success Event page!)
2. Try virtual opportunities
Whilst we can’t go to work, remote (or virtual) working has become the new normal – and this applies to internships too. More and more companies are offering working from home projects – you can search these on King’s CareerConnect by filtering for location and choosing “work from home”.
In addition to the specific knowledge and experience you might get from the remote internship, you’ll also develop your general skills in areas like remote teamwork and digital communication. These skills are similar to their face-to-face counterparts, but also unique and they’ll make your future CVs and applications stand out.
If you’re interested in volunteering from home, take a look at some of these ongoing opportunities:
- Become an online mentor for the Prince’s Trust
- Support the United Nations
- School in the Cloud – help children across the world explore big questions
- Help a blind individual with a task that enables them to be independent
- Help humanitarian organisations by mapping missing locations
3. Learn something
Perhaps you’ve always wanted to learn to code, or brush up your Excel skills. Whether its hard or soft skills you want to expand, use LinkedIn Learning to get detailed (and free) teaching from industry professionals. Careers & Employability has collected a range of videos, from networking to sending professional emails – get started on our KEATS pages.
4. Don’t panic
If virtual internships or work aren’t an option for you, that’s totally ok. Most people will be in the same position and future employers will understand why there is a gap on your CV. You can always use this time as an example of resilience, which is one of the key skills that employers want from graduates.
If you want to talk any of this through, don’t hesitate to make a virtual appointment with one of our Careers Consultants – just book in via King’s CareerConnect for a same-day appointment.
5. Join in with #MyNextSteps
On 8th April, join the Careers team on a virtual webinar event as we discuss the impact of COVID-19 on internships and work experience – and get more ideas for virtual internship experiences. If you’ve got any topics you want us to discuss, email internships@kcl.ac.uk.
Check out our Keats space for #MyNextSteps to stay up to date on the weekly event series. Follow our social media with hashtags #MyNextSteps on Facebook, Twitter & Instagram to get reminders as well as some exciting careers content to your feed!
