How to get an internship: Tips for Māori and Pasifika student

There, I said it. What I mean is that it is more important to get a good internship than it is to just accept the first company that opens their doors to you. Internships are the vital step between studies and gaining employment. Being an intern can give you the opportunity to work in a fantastic environment and build your skillset to enter the workforce.

Alternatively, internships can result in the intern sweeping floors, making coffee and sitting in an empty office being ignored all day. Knowing how to find good internships and how to make the most of your time there is a game-changer.

Most university degrees require students to have an internship (or placement) to complete their qualification. It usually falls to the student’s own initiative to find an internship in an appropriate organisation. This is a disguised blessing. If you’re able to recognise your value and then communicate that, you’ll be able to work with top performers and get a great start to your career. This journey begins with your resume. 

Resume:

Putting together your CV/resume will be instrumental in the process for successfully receiving an internship. Now’s the time to start the process of listing your past achievements and skills. For example Māori students often have a background in Kapa Haka and perhaps your school was a finalist at Te Matatini. Pasifika students often belong to Christian youth groups and both Māori and Pasifika students are active sports players. These are all relevant experiences to include on your resume as it showcases involvement outside of your studies, and displays your personal skillset (e.g. teambuilding, cultural awareness and leadership).

The next step is compiling all the relevant information and experience about yourself in a short, concise and well-presented document your employers will look at. Treat this as if you’re applying for a proper job because successful interns will often end up becoming full-time staff if they take the opportunity to shine.

There are several CV Guides on GradMahi specifying how to put together your CV in depth. Here I will give a brief list of how to craft a good resume for internship applications, check out the other guides for a closer look at how to build a CV and industry specific guides

• Have a balance of academic and extra-curricular experience listed for variety
• Have at least two credible sources that can provide references for you
• Contact information and possible links to LinkedIn and/or your own website if relevant
• Also pay attention to the layout of your CV, make it presentable and easy to read

Reach Out:

When looking for internships it helps to reach out to old contacts and see what opportunities are available. I found my first internship through a friend’s father who is a senior supervisor at Radio New Zealand. Family, friends, old acquaintances etc will either know directly of someone or can point you in the direction of someone who can help in this regard.

Also, job sites are one of the best places to find internships. They list hundreds of companies who are all actively hiring for interns.

If you like, it can help to create a simple spreadsheet to track your reach out efforts. This is great because it helps you visualise who you are contacting and lets you see how many times you have contacted them. Reaching out multiple times does not make you annoying, it makes you persistent, which is one of the most prized traits in the working world. That’s why we recommend reaching out at least three times if you seriously want a position. We created this free spreadsheet you can use to view your progress.

Interview preparations:

Prepping for a job interview is a challenging process and requires constant practice to truly ace the interview. The old saying, ‘first impressions last’ is absolutely true in this regard.

We all have had to go through with preparing for a job interview but remembering the key steps required can make all the difference.

1. Remember to dress appropriately for the job you want (wear smart casual or culturally appropriate attire)
2. Be well groomed
3. Be punctual to your set appointment
4. Memorise your CV/resume and have practiced answers ready for questions the interviewer will ask you
5. Research the organisation to understand who you will be working for

It is important to remember that if an interview doesn’t go your way that you should not lose hope. Most likely you will have to go through the interview process several times to find the right internship. Consistency and perseverance will take you far here.

Putting the effort in to find a quality internship is one of the best things you can do for your career. The fact that you have the drive to read this article shows that you’re already on the right path. Keep at it, know your value, and communicate it clearly, and you’ll be able to find the internship of your dreams.