This time last year I applied for an internship programme agency called ‘City Internships’. They cover internships for many different jobs in Law, Social Media, Publishing, Finance, Public Relations and Fashion to name a few- they can find a job to suit your degree, or whatever you fancy doing in the future. They offer various locations for your summer internship: London, New York, Los Angeles and Hong Kong. If you want they can help with accommodation and provide workshops each week to give advice on how to find jobs after you graduate. Plus, during the summer they held many trips and networking nights, with a free bar, to meet other host companies and other interns – so you’re not on your own if you don’t know anyone!
I personally chose to apply for London as my core programme; the jobs I wanted to apply for were well suited to this city. I applied for publishing, social media, PR and fashion internships. I had an interview for a company called The River Group and became an intern advertising sales and editorial assistant for eight weeks over the summer. I worked for magazines like Co-operative Food, Dare, Pro Hair and Beauty, Sally, Healthy and Healthy for Men.
I remember my first day and it being so nerve wrecking. I honestly thought it was going to be like the Devil Wears Prada- doing coffee errands and running around London like a headless chicken. However, my internship host were great! They invited me to Hyde Park lunches with them and made me feel like part of the team. Plus there was champagne Fridays at the end of the month and quarterly nights out all paid for – Bonus! I won’t lie though there was one time I did have to travel to the other side of London to pick up someone’s iPad – so that was the only Devil Wears Prada moment. However, I was interning with two other girls and we were like a little family that helped each other out and have probably made friends for life there. This summer was the best experience of my life and I would do it again! Yes it is hard work but you learn so much and doing an internship really helps you have a clearer mind in what to do after University. So, instead of going on about my whole summer I’m going to write some tips in how to survive an internship in London.
- Bring a notepad: some days you will not have much to do but maybe tidy up the magazine cupboard, whereas on other days you will have so many people coming to you at once for work that you need to jot these things down! Also if they have software at the company that you have not used before they will show you how to use it, but write it down – they are busy, so may not have the time to show you again.
- Learn to use Excel: if you do not know already, learn some tips beforehand – most companies will use Excel rather than Word for organising documents or research.
- Follow the London Underground on Twitter: the amount of strikes and closures this summer was a nightmare – always check so you can think of other back up routes on how to get home.
- Download some handy London apps: to help with the underground, train times etc. Apps like Uber are great for a night out as the taxi finds where you are and picks you up – so convenient.
- Try get more then 1G allowance on your 3G/4G: you will be using your maps a lot trying to figure out where places are for work – My phone bill was huge as I was always going over my 3G trying to find locations for work etc.
- Get an Oyster Card: so handy, stress-free and quick. Your internship will most likely pay for your travel so don’t worry too much about that money wise. I stupidly got a travel card and it hardly ever scanned – so I always had to hassle the moody underground people to let me through – this is a nightmare for a night out btw as they never seem to be there at the less busiest of underground stations!! The other interns had Oyster Cards – so much easier.
- Pack your own lunch: buying out lunch at a local Sainsbury’s etc. costs a lot of money so try save the pennies as London is very expensive (averages 6 pound for a glass of wine!)
- Phone charger: you will most likely be up from 6am and won’t get home till 7 (as tubes and trains are a nightmare), so charge your phone at work just in case.
- Handbag essentials
- Make up – last minute drinks are always on the cards so always have it on hand
- Umbrella – London weather is very unpredictable – its warmer then Aberdeen for sure but rains more
- Trainers or pumps – wear nice shoes to your work place but if you’re travelling a long distance bring comfy shoes – honestly everyone on the tube will be in a suit and trainers after work
- Hand moisturiser – this may sound stupid but needed – the amount of mail outs I had to do for each magazine that a lot of paper cuts and cardboard. Your hands get so dry.
- Plasters – for the long walks and running around the underground cause a lot of pain sometimes
- Headphones – work may need you to listen to stuff on youtube etc so they are always handy
- Lemsip – the underground carries a lot of germs, and I lost count of the amount of times people were ill in the office – it’s a life saver
- Deodorant – the underground isn’t pretty during the 30 degree heat summers – if you are short you will most likely get an armpit in your face – I wish they’d been wearing deodorant.
- Sunglasses
- Hand sanitiser
- pain killers
- water!!
Just try to enjoy it. London life is hectic and some days it gets to you but just remember its an experience – embrace it. So try to keep upbeat and let the company you work for see the best in you!