Bright Tips from Bright Network!

Our experience with the virtual internship and what we took from it

If you follow us on Instagram (@the.millennialdiaries), then you will know that myself and Saskia participated in the Bright Network Business, Operations and Marketing virtual internship. Bright Network offered a vast range of virtual internships for students to apply for and take part in; we were extremely grateful for the opportunity and relished being able to do something productive during lockdown! Our programme lasted for a few days, starting with some insightful webinars from companies such as P&G, Marks and Spencer and Google. The internship then required us to create a marketing strategy as part of a work sample task. The experience allowed us to improve and develop some key workplace skills, with the marking of the work sample task by a fellow internee encouraging us to network with one another and be able to give (and receive) constructive feedback.

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So, what advice and tips did we take from the experience?

1) Firstly, the internship stressed the importance of effective communication. In a workplace environment, it is important to communicate clearly with fellow employees and management; this will make working together much more easier as you are aware of the progress being made, as well as any hiccups or issues that need addressing. A top tip is to then make sure that you do not shy away from communicating with other people. It is great for you to be able to interact and contribute to group work too. If you’re still at university, you can practice this by contributing to class discussions, or if you are in a group situation, be productive with other members and work as a collective.

2) The experience also emphasised the need to be proactive and to get involved in societies, or even just engage in other activities that get you working and meeting other people. For instance, being proactive might mean joining/creating a society at university or even volunteering. Not only will doing this mean that you can have a bit of fun and make new connections, but it will also show a willingness to learn and get involved in other activities outside of your studies.

3) Lastly, the internship was incredibly helpful when it came to giving CV advice, helping pinpoint what employers look for in potential candidates. When applying for jobs, it is important to keep a few things in mind. We need to show why we want that specific job and emphasise what we were driven by. You need to research the company and know what their objectives and goals are, as well as understand what skills and key competencies they are looking for in candidates. When it comes to CVs, we tend to diminish the importance of including a section concerning our interests. Often, we will spend little time on this section and even omit it altogether. The internship stressed the importance of mentioning interests; employers like to know what your hobbies are and how you socialise – at the end of the day, isn't that what makes you human?!

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So, these are just some of the things we learnt from the internship and we would love to know whether you participated or not. What internship, or internships, did you complete? How did you find the experience? What did you learn?

Get in touch with us via email (themillennialdiaries2020@outlook.com) or IG (@the.millennialdiaries) and let us know your thoughts!

Until next time,

Annabel