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Now listen carefully and answer Questions 21 to 25.
P: Thanks for coming in today to discuss your internship experience. Completing some sort of work experience, like an internship, is a core part of our Master’s programme, and we want to make sure students are able to make the most of it.
D: That’s fine.
P: So, as I understand, you were offered an internship by Gregory Associates. Is that correct?
D: Actually, I got offers from a few companies, but Gregory Associates was the only one I seriously considered.
P: Was there any reason for that?
D: Yeah. They didn’t offer the best conditions - some of the other companies were offering to cover transportation and other living costs, that kind of thing - but I knew Gregory Associates was a widely recognised leader in the industry, and that was the big factor for me.
P: And were you happy with your choice?
D: Well, yes and no.
P: Mixed feelings?
D: Yeah. I mean, don’t get me wrong - everyone in the office was great. They didn’t talk down to me and they were always happy to assist if I wasn’t sure about something.
P: Was it the work, then? Some students do find internships a little tedious and boring.
D: It’s not that it was boring. I was doing new things every day, and I loved that. They really kept me on my toes. It’s just that, I’m studying economics, you know? But most of the projects I was assigned to involved more... administrative stuff... It just wasn’t relevant to what I’ve been studying.
P: I’m sorry to hear that. I’ll make a note of it. Let’s talk about the good things. What did you particularly enjoy about the experience?
D: Well, as an intern, the managers do tend to keep you at arm’s length - they just don’t trust you enough to let you take on a lot of responsibilities for the big projects.
P: That’s understandable.
D: Yes, but in a way, I liked that - because I got to stand back and watch, and got a real sense of how a company like that runs on a day-to-day basis. And that was the highlight for me.
P: That’s great to hear. How did you find managing the internship alongside your study commitments?
D: Well, because my internship was over the summer break, that wasn’t an issue for me at all.
P: Okay. What would you say was the biggest struggle then?
D: In the beginning, I might have said the hours. Those 6 a.m. starts were tough! But I quickly got used to that. In retrospect, the biggest difficulty was getting by on such a tight budget. As I wasn’t earning anything, the whole experience really drained my savings account.
P: Yeah, that can be tough. And my last question: what was the outcome of this internship for you? Some of our students are lucky enough to get offers of employment before finishing.
D: At first, I was hoping I would be one of them. In the end I wasn’t, but I’m happy about that now.
P: Why’s that?
D: Well, over the course of the internship, I ended up reconsidering whether this industry is really for me after all. I’m going to finish my degree, because I’m only a semester away from graduation now, but then after that I’ve decided to pursue a different line of work.
P: Well, I do hope you’re successful with that.
Now listen and answer Questions 26 to 30.
P: Now, we’re putting together a step-by-step guide about the process for students who want to apply for internships, and we were wondering if you could help us with it.
D: Sure.
P: What would you say is the first step?
D: Before they do anything else, students need to get their documents sorted. Companies need to see all sorts of things, such as reference letters and verified copies of academic transcripts. It can take time to get it all together, so applicants need to get onto this as soon as possible.
P: Great, we’ll put that down as Number One. And then students should begin researching companies?
D: Absolutely. They should look at a wide range of companies and the internships they offer. They really shouldn’t limit themselves at that stage.
P: It would be time-consuming to apply to them all, though.
D: Yeah, so I think they need to weed out those positions they are not qualified for or that don’t meet their own needs and interests, and then put together a shortlist consisting only of those positions that are a good match.
P: And then?
D: Well, the next part is the applications, of course. I think the big mistake here is that some students just send the same cover letter and the same CV to each company, when in reality every position is a little bit different. They really need to alter their applications so that they refer to the individual needs of each position.
P: I’ll make a note of that. And should students follow up on their applications?
D: I think so. It’s best to call each company - an e-mail is too easy to ignore or delete. And not too soon, either - a week after the applications have been submitted is probably ideal.
P: So if they get an interview, what’s next?
D: Obviously they need to prepare. For me this included all sorts of things, like practising my body language in front of the mirror and researching common interview questions online.
P: Any tips for the interview itself?
D: Most students are so obsessed with having the right answers, but I think the most important thing is actually to ask questions. It shows the employer that you are genuinely interested in their company and in the position.
P: That’s really helpful advice. Thanks for coming by today.
D: No problem.