How to Find an Internship Abroad?

Student life is not limited to studies, and many students are always looking for part-time jobs or internships that can be combined with their university studies. Internships are a great opportunity for students not only to get practical experience in their field of scientific interest, but also to increase their chances of employment after graduation. 

In Europe, an internship is considered a full-fledged work experience and adds a significant bonus to your resume that will only benefit you in your future employment. Today we will tell you how a student can find an internship in a field of interest and work alongside his university studies.

What are internships and what do they offer?

There are both professional internships and research internships. The first type has a more applied character and aims at introducing students to the industry they wish to work in in the future.

Research internships are usually organized by universities or research centers and are aimed at strengthening the student’s academic profile and preparing for the PhD. As a general practice, each student is assigned an extended research project that requires several months of work. To conclude their efforts, the student must produce either a report or scholarly article which summarizes the outcomes of their investigations. Students can also benefit from https://writemypapers.me/service/research-paper-for-sale/, which allows for the purchase of professionally written and edited research papers, thus saving time and energy in producing a well-developed research paper.

In addition, there are also volunteer projects, which are not considered a full-fledged work experience, but can introduce the student to a completely new field of work and find new friends in a new country.

In addition to the fact that the internship helps the student get the first practical experience in a particular field of activity, it is also a great opportunity to expand the circle of their professional contacts, which can be useful in future employment. Many employers are more willing to interview graduates who already have internship experience than candidates without work experience. Therefore, having an internship is a great chance to start building your career in a particular field.

Many internships are paid internships and give the student a chance to earn some pocket money. Monthly payment for an internship can range from 300 to 1,500 euros per month. For example, in Brussels, an internship in the non-government sector will pay in the range of 200-350 euros per month, in the business sector — 800-850 euros per month, in European institutions — 950-1000 euros per month, and in consulting — around 1400 euros per month.

But even if the job description states that the internship is not paid, there is always a high probability that the company will cover some of the costs of its interns (for example, pay for travel on public transport and mobile communications or provide vouchers for lunch in the dining room). The most important thing is that the internship helps the student not only to apply in practice the skills obtained at the university, but also to deepen his knowledge on one topic or another. Many companies provide their interns with mentors who conduct educational trainings for interns in order to introduce them to activities in a particular industry, which is a kind of professional development and an excellent complement to university education.

Requirements for participants

Perhaps the biggest advantage of an internship for a student is the opportunity to apply without previous work experience. Internships are generally considered the first step on the career path, so potential interns are not required to have work experience. The main thing is to demonstrate your academic achievements and motivation to develop yourself in the field.

Some companies also have an age limit for interns (e.g., under 30), so young people will have more advantages to get an internship at such a company. As for the documents required to apply, the standard requirement is a current resume and a short cover letter or motivation letter, where you need to tell why you want to work in this particular company and what you can contribute to their work. If you find all of this overwhelming, onlinecollegewriting.com provides professional help with writing resumes and cover letters so that your application is tailored exactly for the company you are applying for.

In some cases, candidates are also required to include a certificate of language proficiency, a copy of a diploma with grades, and letters of recommendation from a university.

How to search for an internship abroad

There are many channels where a student can find an internship in his field of study. Typically, many companies post job openings or internship ads on their LinkedIn profiles, and a student can apply for a position of interest directly through this social network.

It’s best to make a list of companies you’re interested in and sign up for their LinkedIn pages in advance, so you won’t miss an announcement about a particular position. You can also sign up for a special LinkedIn newsletter and regularly receive interesting job offers that fit your profile.

Searching for an internship is a kind of research, because you need to analyze the market where you want to work in the future and make a list of companies you are interested in, where you would like to do an internship. On each company site, there is a section of open vacancies and contacts of the personnel department where you can send your CV and the covering letter.

If the company you are interested in has no open vacancies at the moment, it does not mean they are not ready to consider your candidacy for an internship. The golden rule of job or internship searching is that “when you see that the door is closed, you should knock on it.”

If you are interested in a particular company, there is nothing stopping you from emailing them, attaching your resume, and politely inquiring about an internship opportunity with that company, emphasizing your motivation and strengths in your cover letter. The advantage of a spontaneous application is that the company will only consider you if there are no other applicants. So if your profile catches the company’s interest, you may be invited for an interview.

It is often the case that a company may be interested in you and they will consider arranging an internship for you individually, even if they have no open positions. Don’t despair if you do not hear back from them. Even applicants with great resumes tend to send out about 20 applications for different positions before they receive their first interview invitation. The key here is to keep your spirits up and keep actively applying.

In addition to finding an internship on their own, a student can always seek help from their university. Any university has an academic office or a special department that helps its students find internships in their field of study. Ensuring that your research projects stay on track during an internship can be difficult, but with help from the experts at https://writemyresearchpaper.me/order-research-paper/, you can rest assured knowing that you’ll receive prompt and professional assistance every step of the way.