“Internship” may be a relatively new word for middle aged parents but for their student children it has been part of their vocabulary for a while now.

An internship is work experience for a student at either under-graduate or post-graduate level.  The idea is that it allows students the opportunity to gain experience in a working environment, sometimes whilst studying alonside of their degree or sometimes after they have graduated.  Employers may offer internships which last just for a week or two, or for one day a week over a short period of time or they could last as long as six months or a year.  Sometimes a student may be paid while working on an internship, though quite often internships are unpaid, though some employers may give reasonable travel and other work related expenses.

Internships are often available in advertising, sales, marketing, human resources, creative design, management and engineering. Working on an internship should enable a student to develop a number of soft skills which will be applicable to any job, including good communication and presentaion skills and effective problem solving.  An internship gives students a taster of the world of work and gives insight into what a particular job may involve.

Before starting an internship, it is important that a student establishes terms and conditions, especially whether the post is paid or unpaid.

When you hear back from a prospective employer and you’ve been offered an interview, it’s normal to start thinking about the questions you will have to answer. The only problem is, you can’t predict the questions that will come your way, and there will always be an element of surprise. Researching the company is something recruitment agencies will always tell you to do, but again the interviewer may not care how much you know about their business, after all, there will be time for you to learn if you do get the job.

So what should you prepare for? The easiest thing to prepare for is how you present yourself and how you allow your personality to shine though. You should show you’re hungry for the role, and not just desperate to get a job. You shouldn’t have to lie to get a job, but you should know how to talk in a way that shows you care about developing in their setup, and helping their company piush forward. When you’re asked a question, think about how you can answer in a way that sells you and your skills. Prepare for this by picking out previous experiences that are relevant to this role. Use them as fuel, to give your answers more substance.

If you are in your forties or fifties and suddenly find yourself looking for employment after working for the same employer for 20 or 30 years, then signing up with a recruitment agency may seem a little alien to you. However, whatever your age, there are many advantages to finding work through a reputable agency.

• Many jobs, which are found advertised in recruitment agencies, are not available elsewhere.
• Recruitment agencies will offer help and advice on job vacancies and will have established valuable contacts with employers.
• Most agencies will offer training to brush up on dormant skills or to help you develop new skills.
• They will offer advice on interview techniques and help you construct a noticeable CV and will actively search for a vacancy that will suit your own specifications.
• You may find that it is beneficial to take up temporary work whilst looking for something more permanent and a recruitment agency will help with this.

For those searching for work, it is free to use the services of an agency.  When you turn up for the first time, do dress smartly and make sure you are prepared for questions.  If you expect an agency to help you find employment, then you must give a good impression to show that you are eager and willing to work. It is also important to be honest and realistic with agency staff so that they can find the best job which matches your skills, ability and needs.