As a student or graduate, you may be asking yourself the question: are marketing internships helpful in securing a marketing job? Well,as one of the leading marketing recruitment agencies in London, we can help explain why you may or may not want to consider a marketing internship.
Marketing is a constantly evolving field. New technologies and strategies emerge every day, making it important to have the latest skills and gain a competitive edge over other candidates competing for the same marketing vacancies. Internships can be a great way to gain these skills and launch your marketing or communications career, but the question remains: are they necessary in today’s job market?
Work experience is essential when you’re starting any career. The sooner you begin acquiring experience, the better. But for many, direct entry into employment cannot come soon enough, and an internship can be seen as a hindrance to gaining that full-time job. Although there are some exceptions, many marketing internships can be low paid or even unpaid. This can make it difficult to choose an internship over a paid, full-time position, and taking an internship may cause you to miss out on longer-term opportunities. By the time these opportunities arise, it may be too late to withdraw or change direction.
Despite this, internships have many benefits and are a fantastic way to jumpstart your marketing career. Whether you are just starting out in the working world or looking to move into marketing, an internship can help you develop relevant skills and knowledge. Here are some more reasons why marketing internships might be considered important in today’s job market:
Increase your chance of being employed
Taking on an internship in any profession can increase employability. This is especially true in the marketing industry, where the job market is fierce and it’s essential to stand out from the competition. Work experience is something that all employers look for and can help you get hired quickly. Internships are a fantastic method of gaining work experience while also increasing your chances of landing a full-time marketing job. If you demonstrate your work ethic and deliver results as an intern, you can boost your chances of being hired by the company permanently. Internships don’t need to be something that you consider after education has ended; they can be taken on in summer holidays, after classes or at the weekends and can be full-time or part-time.
Help you decide on a career path
Marketing comes in many shapes and sizes, from advertising to public relations, corporate communications to paid social (and many more!) it’s important to find out what aspect of marketing interests you the most. Internships are a great way to try various career paths, gaining both skills and experience along the way. They can help you decide where you want to take your career, with many offering the opportunity to sample a range of different roles in one company.
Try before you buy
An internship gives you the chance to experience what it’s like to work for a specific company. You’ll get to see how others work and communicate, how priorities are set, and how things are done at that particular organisation. This can help you to determine if a job offer would be a good fit for you.
Put your knowledge into practice
While a university degree teaches you valuable theoretical knowledge, it’s not the only way to learn. By working in a corporate environment, you develop more awareness of your skillset and how best to apply it to real situations. You can practise new skills, share knowledge, and collaborate on projects with people with different areas of expertise. Putting your knowledge to the test in workplace scenarios can push you out of your comfort zone and extend your skills beyond the classroom.
Give your CV a competitive edge
Highlighting an internship on you CV with relevant work experience in relation to the role you are applying for can increase your chances of securing an interview. It demonstrates a strong desire to work in the industry and can help you stand out from the crowd. Be sure to mention any projects you’ve helped deliver or any software packages you have learnt to use.
Build relationships and expand your marketing network
Marketing internships are a great way to meet new contacts that can lead to job opportunities either now or in the future. They enable you to knowledge share, network and establish professional relationships within the marketing industry. Networking is essential in marketing, and there is no better place to start than on the inside. While an internship may not result in a job, it will help you to develop a network of connections and experts who may assist you in your career as it develops.
Get written references
If you do complete an internship, don’t be afraid to ask for a written reference from your manager upon completion; references can be a great sales tool to share alongside your CV when applying for a marketing job.
Kindred Recruitment is a specialist marketing recruitment agency with a strong track record of supporting clients and candidates fill or find vacancies across marketing, digital marketing, agency, communications and customer success. Get in touch on 020 3742 2266 to speak to an experienced marketing recruitment consultant.
