Business and Careers Editor Vanshika Dhyani shares how students can strategically pick their electives and engage in campus activities to maximise their career opportunities.
The art of interning, when mastered, can smoothly sail you towards your dream job. Do not wait until the summer of your final year to intern; start early and intern every year. The first year is when you build yourself to be employable, and every year after, you work on polishing and diversifying your skills. Your aim is to be employable in more than one industry by the time you graduate.
Start talking about interning with your professors and the Careers Network at the start of the semester, as they can advise you on the internships available to students in your course, and what a good application looks like. Make sure to speak to them about a letter of recommendation once they get to know you and your skills. Ask around about different kinds of internships, and start working on your application.
Professors have industry experience and know the ins-and-outs of student opportunities. Reach out to them for advice on which companies best align with your skill set and career aspirations. They might even have a list of alumni or industry contacts who can help you get a referral.
Throw another hat in the game. It’s a good idea to strategically pick your electives to align with an industry outside of your degree. Computer Science is a great example of a lucrative elective; the tech industry is always hiring and once you know the basics, you can always learn more.
Supplement this by joining the committee that most closely aligns with your elective, like Netsoc in the above example. An elective conjoined with leadership experience in an adjacent society or club will help you learn from students and give you access to talks, events, and opportunities to network with folks from the industry. This will also give you first-hand knowledge of company trends, hiring objectives, and other information that students are learning from professors and their coursemates. The following year, start with a different elective and a different society. Before you know it, you’ll have the skill set required to apply for internships in many different fields!
The University Observer recently sat down with Shay O’Riordan-Little to discuss their post-excavation internship at Irish Archaeological Consultancy. Shay, who is currently enrolled in a four-year degree in archaeology through the social sciences pathway at UCD, is going into their third year of study.
What was the internship like?
“I worked with soil samples from a range of different sites, and I also had the chance to work with some bones. Since I was working at the main office, I had the opportunity to network with industry professionals and talk to them about their jobs.”
How did you find out about this internship opportunity?
“I got lucky with the opportunity, because a contact of my aunt’s at the company was able to provide a reference, but I wouldn’t have known about it if I hadn’t been following multiple archeology companies on LinkedIn.”
Were there any projects or assignments that you found particularly challenging or rewarding?
“Soil samples are heavy! Especially for archaeology, but I suppose it applies to other fields as well; there can be more physical labour involved than you might think.”
How did the internship complement your coursework?
“When you study archaeology, the focus is more on the theory than the practical aspects – you’re learning how to think about archaeology, which is important, but archaeology is also an incredibly practical field where on-the-job experience is the best way to learn. You can’t exactly learn the best way to break down clayey soil or how hard you can brush animal bone without breaking it from a lecture slide.”
Were there any specific skills that you believe helped you secure this internship?
“This isn’t my first internship; I also had one last summer at a site where a mediaeval graveyard was being excavated, which gave me a lot of experience with bones. Additionally, I took part in the annual UCD field school at Glendalough and also assisted with post-excavation work afterward.”
What advice can you share with students looking for an internship this year?
“Figure out which of your past experiences will stand out on a CV. The UCD Careers Network actually offers free career consultancy, so making an appointment with them can’t hurt. Most importantly, keep an eye out for opportunities by finding companies you’d want to intern at and following their social media.”