Enternships Blog
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How To Make Money And Do GoodPosted on Friday 16 March 2012 at 09:11AM by trrpaipai |
We love business that is mindful of its customers and the world around them, in general. That's why we also love what Charlotte Goldsmith-Lascelles is doing. She is the founder and owner of New Feminine Finance, a career and business coaching service for heart-centred professionals and entrepreneurs, looking to have a positive impact on the world through their work.
Charlotte started her business asking herself how can you make money and do good at the same time? And her answer was...
Apart from the obvious paradox this question implies - if we’re not making money from ‘doing good’, then what are we making money from – doing ‘bad’?, I want to show you how in today’s economy, the belief that it isn't possible to make money and have a positive impact has become an outdated one.
The truth is that, whilst for much of the twentieth century, knowledge (and power) was concentrated in the hands of the few, the reality of today’s socio-economic system is different. People from all walks of life are waking up to the desire to not only improve the quality of their own lives, but also the knowledge of how to seek out the information and expertise that will allow them to do so.
Simultaneously, there has been an explosion of new systems and structures – from the internet and social media, through to information and service-based businesses – which allows for the packaging and selling of valuable information and its distribution all over the world. It is a true ‘new’ economy, of the likes we have never seen before.
If you have a specific need or problem, the chances are that someone, somewhere in the world has figured out an answer, and that there is a way for you to access it.
The Money ‘Hex’
In working with this budding breed of ‘new paradigm’ entrepreneurs – supporting them to package and sell the information and services they have accumulated over the course of their lives and careers, and then build business models to effectively communicate that across the global marketplace – there is one problem that I see time and time again.
It is a threshold across which every successful new entrepreneur must cross, and it relates to their own relationship with money.
It is estimated that the field of information and service-based businesses, is one of the fastest growing industries in the world. From six-figure lifestyle businesses, to Inc 500|5000 companies, there are plenty of entrepreneurs shattering the myth that making money isn’t compatible with doing good.
Yet many of us still carry a wound inside of ourselves that relates to the question of making money. Its origins are varied and complex, but in short, we too often confuse how we feel about ourselves (Am I good enough? Do I deserve?) with an understanding of what it means to offer something of value to another, and receive something in return.
The basis of an economic transaction is a good (and is that not what we call them – goods and services?) We offer a service, or something of value to someone, and we receive remuneration in return. In any relationship there must be a balance or flow, otherwise the relationship breaks down.
So too in a transaction – if it is not balanced and even, then before long it will break down. If you want to be of service in the world and offer what you do, you must be appropriately remunerated for it – otherwise you won’t be able to do it for very long.
Is this you…?
“Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.”- Tolstoy
If you are an aspiring entrepreneur that is struggling financially, I would urge you to look closely at Tolstoy’s quote, and examine at what level – in order for you to really and truly impact the community that you desire to serve – you must first and foremost heal your own relationship with money.
If you are giving something of value, then proper flow can only be established when something is given back in return.
Any other approach does not lead to a full and thriving career helping others – it leads to rapid depletion, and worse than that - it hinders the flow of information exchange on the global marketplace.
Without mastering this issue, people in need will not have access to what they need and want. No relationship can survive on an unequal footing – and nowhere more so than a transaction-based one where the value of the exchange is plain for all to see.
If this is you and you would like to find out more about how you can join the ranks of new paradigm entrepreneurs successfully making a living whilst positively impacting the world, please visit www.newfemininefinance.com, or email Charlotte at info@newfemininefinance.com.
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Internships - The Key To Economic RecoveryPosted on Monday 05 March 2012 at 11:10AM by trrpaipai |
You can’t open a paper, turn on the TV or log-onto the Internet from anywhere in the world and not see that we are facing the worst global economy since World War II, if not ever. Globally, businesses are shutting their doors and unemployment continues to rise.
Though we hear doom and gloom worldwide some refreshing statistics have begun to emerge. In the United States, as reported by CNN, the percent of Americans starting businesses in 2010 and 2009 was the highest in 15 years. Couple that with the U.S. Small Business Administration reporting that small businesses represent 99.7 percent of all US employers and have generated 65 percent of net new jobs over the past 17 years – and you have some idea of the power of entrepreneurs and small businesses in turning the U.S. economy around.
The “Catch-22” facing entrepreneurs and new workers
However, the problem remains, as it has since the dawn of entrepreneurs, “how do you grow if you don’t hire more people?” But “how can do you bring on more people if you can’t afford to pay them” – the ultimate “Catch-22” in business.
Today’s youth face a similar “Catch-22.” They are told to go to college because that’s the way to ensure a job, but soon after graduation find themselves unemployed and drowning in college debt because they don’t have any experience.
Consider this: according to a recently released Pew Research Center Study and data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics 54% of young adults aged 18 to 24 are currently employed – the lowest percentage since the government began collecting this data in 1948.
Furthermore, a new report, Student Debt and the Class of 2010, states that two-thirds of college seniors from public and private four-year colleges in the U.S. graduated with loans in 2010, carrying an average of $25,250 in debt, up 63 percent from 2001.
And these statistics – youth unemployment and high college debt are not just a problem in the U.S. They face many nations across the globe, most notably in the U.K.
As these statistics indicate - with a limited number of jobs available and a high level of unemployment, paired with the limited preparedness of new workers for real jobs, those with more experience quickly grab new jobs coming into the market before the new worker, with no experience, even has a chance.
It is nearly impossible for a new worker to get a job in today’s economy without real world experience in his or her field of study, i.e., an internship. It is the old adage, “you can’t get a job without any experience, but you can’t get any experience if no one will give you a job.”
Solution: Hiring Interns
So how can entrepreneurs and small businesses, the economic drivers, help to rebuild the economy - hire interns. When a small business or entrepreneur starts an internship program to help them grow their business and recruit new employees they in turn can provide much needed on the job training and, through growing their business, jobs.
It’s an opportunity for both parties. The business owner is able to grow their business without taking on the risk of an employee while the intern gains on the jobs skills and knowledge. A true solution to the “Catch-22” facing employers and new workers.
Interns + Entrepreneurs = “The Next Facebook”
Let’s look at one famous story that illustrates this point perfectly. Take Facebook. Mark Zuckerberg, faced with a great idea and limited resources hired interns to launch Facebook – pretty amazing story. If you saw the movie, “The Social Network,” you saw how a smart entrepreneur, who had a great idea, but was limited in resources, went out and assembled a team of smart interns to implement that idea with his guidance and leadership. Through their hard work, together with Mr. Zuckerberg, Facebook is now the most popular site on the Internet.
Am I saying that every entrepreneur or business owner out there who goes out and decides to hire an intern is going to be the next “Facebook?” Or that every internship will land a new worker a job with the next Facebook (and some handsome stock options)?
No, but could the intern and the entrepreneur, go on to potentially create jobs and rebuild the economy? The answer is a definite YES!
Could internships be a solution to the economic conditions the world faces? Could good internships, where the intern is engaged in real work and projects to help build a company or organization actually create more jobs – maybe even allow the intern to create his or her own job? I believe they can.
Written by Dreama Lee - Former Intern/Employer of Interns/Entrepreneur and Co-Founder of Intern Profits, showing organizations how to find, hire and manage interns to grow their business while providing educational opportunities for tomorrow’s talent today!
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Get Britain Trading NowPosted on Monday 27 February 2012 at 10:43AM by trrpaipai |
Last year saw the launch of the successful Get Britain Trading campaign. Today sees the launch of the campaign for 2012, in a bid to bring small and medium-sized businesses closer to students and graduates making their first steps towards a successful career.
And we’re delighted to announce that Enternships is one of our key supporters. As an organisation that exists to create opportunities for young, talented students and graduates, Enternships - like us - has a vested interest in wanting to see a strong, healthy, thriving UK economy.
Sadly, we are not there yet. But that is exactly what Get Britain Trading 2012 is all about. While boasting all new aims and objectives, the core ethos of Get Britain Trading remains unchanged: to lobby the government to make it simpler and more profitable to run a small business.
When we first unveiled Get Britain Trading in 2011 the country was in an altogether different place than we find ourselves today. The UK had yet to wake up to destabilising effects of the eurozone debt crisis, Britain and indeed the EU was just starting to contemplate the impact of a double dip recession, and many businesses were adopting a ‘bunker down and consolidate’ attitude for the anticipated economic storm.
Today we are in a difference place entirely. While it may be too soon to say there’s a chink of light at the end of the tunnel – although some would argue this isn’t the case – there is nevertheless a fresh optimism amongst our members. An attitude of ‘we can get through this’, and the Get Britain Trading campaign reflects this.
The UK economy may be showing signs of stabilising, but we need to make sure that does not turn to stagnation.
So we will continue to lobby Government for a simpler tax system, one that’s fairer and more proportionate, and will help drive employment. We’re also lobbying for measures to reduce business costs. You can read more about the measures we’re campaigning for in the Get Britain Trading manifesto.
One of the areas where Enternships supports Get Britain Trading is our objective of creating employment and improving skills. We believe that colleges and education providers should become much closer to small and medium-sized businesses so that when students and graduates take their first steps onto the career ladder, they find that their skills and attributes help them to get the job they want.
But we can’t achieve these vital aims without businesses’ support. You can help us to Get Britain Trading by joining the campaign at www.getbritaintrading.co.uk. The more firms that join us the more likely we are to achieve our objective of Getting Britain Trading, for the benefit of businesses, those wanting to work in business, as well as everyone who lives in Britain.
Written by Jane Bennett, Head of Campaigns at the Forum of Private Business
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Job Hunting in the Digital AgePosted on Tuesday 21 February 2012 at 13:48PM by trrpaipai |
As we get to grips with 2012 it is increasingly apparent that the levels of unemployment are getting more and more desperate. Newspapers bombard us with depressing headlines telling us that there are over a million young people looking for work, fierce competition, cut-throat CV culling and grueling interviews. Job hunting is a painful and faceless experience for both jobseekers and the employers.
A recent Guardian report said that, to cope with more than 85 applicants per position, three quarters of large employers use 2:1 degree to shortlist applicants. Yet is a degree is even an accurate gauge of employability. The Independent also suggests that sometimes the difference between getting a job or not is simply down to the luck of the cards. Now thats pretty depressing would you not agree?
But wait, before you lose all hope, there is light at the end of the tunnel. Among the savvier employers, however, there is an increasing move towards using social media networks to find top talent. Employers and recruiters are utilising Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn to try find new employees, although most still find most of their roles through recruiters or direct advertising. Just under 50 percent of recruiters use LinkedIn exclusively. These recruiters have an average of 661 connections. Adzuna has worked out a way to tap into this wonderful resource to make job hunting just that little bit easier and a little bit friendlier; get hired with a little help from your friends.
Adzuna, an online ad classified search engine, aims to help solve this incongruence. There are over 500,000 fresh, live vacancies in our search index from all the top job boards and companies: nearly every job ad in the UK in one place.
We combine social and data layers to increase applicants' chances of finding the right role for them. Signing inwith LinkedIn or Facebook enables us to show you vacancies with employers you're connected to (first and second-degree), and the friends you know who can introduce you. Get friends or workmates to refer you with this new social function.
Social media is now no longer just for cheesy photos and silly status updates, it can now be used as a vehicle to advance your career. For the newly graduated LinkedIn can seem a bit bewildering as you have no work contacts and very limited experience. Those who have been in work for years can easily forget that. But jump in! Don’t be intimidated, put your best foot forward and show your professional side.
Social networks can be used in two main ways to advance your career. The first is to use social media to connect to recruiters and employers and it is a great way to get some information on employers to savvy up before an interview. The second method enables you to advertise yourself, communicate your knowledge, suitability, or passion for a position.
Post a good quality picture, list your skills and add any experience and qualities you can muster but try to avoid overused buzzwords.
Reach out to all your friends as you don’t know who may be able to help.
It is important, however, not to forget that employers may use social media to ‘vet’ you. Clean up your Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn accounts. Visit Adzuna’s blog for 5 great tips on how to improve your social employability.
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Why Starting A Business While Studying Is A Good IdeaPosted on Thursday 02 February 2012 at 12:40PM by trrpaipai |
Jacky Yapp is the lead founder of Lunchsparks, a networking platform that allows you to meet with awesome and cool people in Singapore, making great contacts for your career. He founded this platform while he was still in college and now he shares his pearls of wisdom on the why's and do's of such an initiative.
Many people wonder when is it a good time to startup, and when I ask around, usually most of those around me (I am currently based in Singapore and spent a year in Shanghai, grew up in Brunei and Malaysia) would say, to first graduate from college, get a job, earn some money, get some contacts and expand your network, and then you are all set to start building your startup. For me, I think the best time to start is during college/university, which is what I am doing right now.
A little background of myself, I am currently in my final year in the National University of Singapore, and I had the chance to be based in Shanghai for a year last year and when I came back, I gathered my cofounders and we started working on our current startup idea. The beauty of entrepreneurship is that extra step you take out of your comfort zone, that will to do something different with your life, having an impact on the people around you, and that extra courage you need to face the possible criticism and possible failure.
And speaking of failure, what better time there is for one to fail during college and start all over again? We all know that out of 10 startups out there, 9 fails. So if your startup venture failed in university, it is easier to stand back up, and the experiences that you gained is invaluable in making you a better person, and in preparing you for the world. I have been working for 4 months on my current startup right now and I have been meeting a lot of awesome people along the way, who gave me great advices, who pointed me in the correct direction as well as those that criticized my idea, and I loved all of them.
Other than that, you also get to experience things that your peers don’t experience such as negotiating with investors, making hard decisions, team expansions, product marketing or even public speaking to sell your idea. For myself, I experienced 2 interesting incidents whereby I received a warning email from an anonymous who essentially warns me of my startup idea and that it is a knockoff of another similar website, and another incident (well not actually incident) whereby a software engineer saw what we were doing and wanted to join us. He sent in his really impressive resume to me but we were not hiring at that point of time, putting me at the other side of the table during the interview.
Had I not started working on what I am working now, I wouldn’t have had the chance to experience all these if I were to get by my university life as a normal student. So to all aspiring entrepreneurs in college today, if you have that one million dollar idea right now, start doing something about it today! There will never be the exact right date to start founding a company, but if you have to, that day is today. Ideas are worth nothing, for it is the execution that matters.
“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma – which is living with the results of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinions drown out your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” – Steve Jobs
Photo from: http://bit.ly/z1SNbP
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Are You Ready? Bringing Enterprise In EducationPosted on Thursday 26 January 2012 at 11:46AM by trrpaipai |
Enternships is a big fan of initiatives that bring enterprise and business innovation forward. We love those that involve young people even more and this is precisely what 'Are You Ready?' is all about: a comprehensive programme and campaign to create an urgently needed culture of enterprise in education.
Their approach is to harness ‘enterprise’ as a vehicle for transformation – raising aspirations, developing skills and bringing the community together through schools and colleges to create a more prosperous future. The 'Are you ready?' experience and belief is that young people need to be enterprising, develop an entrepreneurial mindset and have the confidence and ambition to take on the challenges and opportunities of life in the 21st century.
How it all started
It’s been six years since they launched their first enterprise programme and the ‘Ready’ model and ‘Inspire’ enterprise training are now internationally acclaimed. The original project, Rotherham Ready, won the prestigious Enterprising Britain competition for ‘creating a culture of enterprise’ and Rotherham was named the ‘Most Enterprising PlaceinBritain’ 2010 as a result.
The national programme ‘Are You Ready?’ won the StartUp Britain ‘Best Enterprise Support Award’ at the Ernst and Young Entrepreneur of the Year Awards in 2011. This project received very good feedback from OFSTED too – after HMI spent a week in 2008 looking at how it inspired schools and colleges to give enterprise education a high priority.
This team believes that education has a key role to play in helping young people prepare for the challenges and opportunities of life in the 21st century and that supporting them to be ‘enterprising’ is a key part of their development. Can't argue with that!
How they do it
The 'Ready' target has a bold and unique take: they target young people – from four-years-old right up to young adults of 19 – to ensure a progressive development of enterprise skills, qualities and knowledge. Attitudes and mindsets are formed at an early age, so it is critical that we start developing enterprising skills, qualities and knowledge in the primary years and ensure it progresses through secondary education and beyond.
The idea is to train teachers to develop enterprise through the curriculum and as part of school culture so that enterprise is not seen as a bolt on – it is seen as an approach to teaching and learning and a way of giving relevance and meaning to the curriculum and school life. The ‘Inspire Pioneers’ tour aims to take this acclaimed training programme around the UK, working with teaching practitioners from Early Years to Higher Education.
The campaign
In November 2011 a campaign was launched and HM e-petition to highlight some of the major challenges faced by young people and our society. The campaign and e-petition call on the government to do three things:
- Make enterprise and entrepreneurship education a key part of all young people’s learning entitlement through the National Curriculum.
- Make enterprise and entrepreneurship education part of teacher training and development.
- Make enterprise and entrepreneurship education part of the Ofsted inspection framework.
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Enternships Roundup: What's New In The World Of Internships And Youth UnemploymentPosted on Thursday 12 January 2012 at 10:58AM by trrpaipai |
Lots of media coverage in the past few months and plenty more to come we suspect. Considering the latest figures in unemployment and the ongoing economic instability, the terms graduate jobs and internships will pretty much be on our lips on an ongoing basis. Elliot Whitehead, who has been our entern for the last three weeks or so, was in charge of monitoring the news and keep us updated with the latest developments. Here's what he gathered.
According to data from the Office for National Statistics, youth unemployment in the UK rose to a record high of over 1 million in the third quarter of 2011. This is a worrying statistic for the so called 'lost generation' and there has been some interesting articles and debate in recent press regarding unemployment, internships, students and graduates.
The eternal debate
The paid vs unpaid debate continues, and the issue looks set to become more prominent with campaigns such as the NUS's 'Unpaid internships: We can't work for free' which calls for an end to unpaid internships, gathering steam.
Furthermore, both the X Factor and fashion houses were in the press for facing claims of using unpaid interns. HRMC sent cautionary letters to 102 fashion houses that exhibited during London Fashion Week in September, but did not name them publicly. Personally, I feel that the issue is more complex than 'pay all interns!' (although generally I feel that at least expenses should be paid) as for some start ups and smaller companies this is not possible. When this is the case these businesses must make sure that their interns gain some valuable experience in return for their work, although really this should be the case in all internships whether paid or not.
However I do worry that some so called 'interns' are often seen as free disposable labour by employers, and many graduates often ask when will this cycle end and how many internships will they need to do before they get a proper job? For example, I have a friend who got their dream job through an internship, but then I also know someone else who worked for 6 months unpaid with no expenses and was not offered a job at the end so felt rather exploited as her work was almost the same as some of her paid co-workers.
Signs of change
There needs to be a positive change towards this and the government must encourage it. If their work is valued, this should be shown through pay and/or a structured learning experience for the intern. Some good news related to this is Nick Clegg's announcement of the 'Youth Contract', a £1 billion scheme aimed at helping young unemployed people find work or education opportunities, which seems encouraging and will come into action in April 2012. The Youth Contract will provide at least 410,000 new jobs for 18 to 24 year olds over a three-year period, and there will be 160,000 job subsidies available worth up to £2,275 each for businesses who take on an 18-24 year-old from the Work Programme.
Meanwhile, David Cameron announced a new £250 million scheme for businesses to be given the power to design, develop and purchase the vocational training programmes they need. Furthermore, one article states that one in three London SMEs is to hire in the first quarter of 2012 and another that Britain's youngest SMEs could add £360 million to the UK economy.
International progress
There has also been some big news regarding internships internationally. Firstly The White House announced its Summer Jobs initiative, with the government pledging to provide almost 180,000 paid jobs, internships and other “employment opportunities” through training and mentoring programs by this summer.
In India, SNDT University is planning on introducing a compulsory internship programme for its postgraduate students to make them more employable in the future. I think programmes like this are a great step in the right direction and feel that universities should work more with businesses in these ways to make their graduates more employable. The government should help this wherever possible to make sure that the young people of today do not become the 'lost generation' after all.
A positive future?
In conclusion , I feel that whilst there is still room for progress to be made (for example I would like to see perhaps a more concrete legislation or financial backing from the government regarding paying interns) it seems that with the Youth Contract and the other campaigns announced positive action is being taken.
Furthermore, with public pressure on companies exploiting unpaid interns and reports showing the SME and start up sector having the potential to do well, 2012 could be a good year for interns and graduate employment as long as these initiatives are fulfilled. It is also important to remember one's own entrepreneurial spirit and if you can't take a job then make a job! So finally here are some encouraging examples of young people in entrepreneurship tackling unemployment themselves.
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Enternships Case Study: A Developer's StoryPosted on Wednesday 21 December 2011 at 09:49AM by trrpaipai |
Rosie Harvey finished her postgraduate studies in Computer Science last year and, after a short break, she started looking for work to get some real-world experience. Soon enough she came across Enternships which helped her find something better than the usual internship: an enternship.
I used lots of different websites to try and find something as there seemed to be a reasonable number of opportunities available without having to investigate recruitment agencies. I was told about Enternships by a friend as a good place to look, especially for jobs with tech startups. Generally the problems I faced when finding jobs to apply for was in the experience and expertise required. The majority of the Enternships I found, whether paid, unpaid, full-time, part-time, or somewhere in between, were very willing to concentrate on potential and willingness to learn rather than standard experience which was very reassuring to see. Becoming an intern seemed like an ideal way to get some really good experience that I could then use to get a permanent job.
"Becoming an intern seemed like an ideal way to get some really good experience."
When applying for jobs I make sure my CV is up to date. Then for each job I tweak it to make sure it's very easy to see that I meet as many of the criteria as possible, even if it's just mentioning specific programming languages that are in the job description (as long as I've actually had experience with them!). For interviews some good examples to think of are how you have dealt with bugs in code, to see how you solve problems, and something you have built and the steps you took in making it show how you approach it. I started an Enternship at Xylyx Ltd (www.xylyx.com) at the start of September as a Developer intern. Xylyx is a startup that deals with online payments, as well as things like digital ticketing. So far I have created websites using WordPress, edited code and written a web-based application with Java and JSP. I've really been enjoying my time there and my brain is completely filled with all the learning.
Working in a small company means we can easily talk, and bounce ideas off each other, and provide a different perspective on all the various things going on.
It's really great working for a small company because I can be incredibly useful and have actual responsibility; it certainly fully dispels the notion of an intern making the tea and doing photocopying and not much else. Some marketing interns started at the same time as me, and my boss was keen to ensure we communicated and interacted as that is often a difficulty between departments in a company, especially technical. It being a small company means we can easily talk, and bounce ideas off each other, and provide a different perspective on all the various things going on. It has also given me much more of an appreciation of what's required for marketing and sales which feeds back into being able to make the technical side better and more in tune with the company's thinking and approach.
My company has made a real effort to help us develop and improve in a very relaxed and friendly atmosphere.
There is a great deal of debate over unpaid interns currently but I can definitely say that I have benefited from my time so far (and it isn't over yet). My company has made a real effort to help us develop and improve in a very relaxed and friendly atmosphere. We can easily approach my boss with business ideas if we feel the urge; as we come from different backgrounds, our approaches and ideas can provide new and interesting avenues for discussion.
One of the major reasons to become an intern is to get a good reference and this will be much more certain and glowing if you are reliable.
We have had a few interns come and go while I've been working for Xylyx and some of the main things I have noticed is how bad people can be at communicating. If you can't make it in one day, or you're going to be late, or something is stopping you from completing an assignment, it is so much easier to mention it straight away. Don't feel bad about it, don't forget until it's too late. One of the major reasons to become an intern is to get a good reference and this will be much more certain and glowing if you are reliable. I have found that with the relaxed approach to interns it doesn't matter if you miss a day or two, or you have some problems, as long as you're honest about it and let people know. It makes everyone's lives so much easier. Make sure you get a friend or a parent or someone to check your spelling and grammar as well!
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Enternships Case Study: A Financial StoryPosted on Monday 12 December 2011 at 12:08PM by trrpaipai |
Enock Koola is a former intern at Amoo Venture Capital Advisory, a boutique firm supporting pre- and post-VC technology startups with strategic direction and business development. He has taken the time to answer a few questions, revealing how his enternship lead him to be offered a full-time position in a funky financial firm.
How did you come across Enternships?
I was referred on to the website by a friend. He had used it and thought it would be a good tool to use in search of a summer internship.
What made you decide to do an internship?
I was interested in VC/PE and felt an internship will provide me with insight on how either VC/PE work and whether it was a perfect suit for me.
What are the challenges you’re facing when looking for an internship? What’s the most difficult part?
The most challenging issue is finding the right internship to apply for. There aren’t many internship programs for working in the PE/VC sector.
How did you go about the application? How do you usually prepare your job applications?
I made sure I had done my homework. I researched and studied the company to know more about the role and the company. I kept up with the latest global financial news. I made a specific CV and Cover letter to the companies I was applying to in order show my understanding of their businesses.
What do you think is the most important part in a job application? What helped you get the internship you applied for?
In my opinion, making yourself aware of the business and role you are applying for and whether it suits you is a very important key step in getting the job. I got the job because I researched the company and the position and I was very passionate about VC which I think came across in the interview.
What are the top 3 things you’re looking for on an employer’s profile/internship listing?/Why did you choose to intern at Amoo?
- Track Record
- Early responsibilities
- Long term goals
I chose to intern at Amoo VC Advisory as I believed it was a great opportunity to learn more about VC, opportunity to work on real live projects and because the company was small, I believed I would get more responsibility and possibly even manage my own project. In addition after my interview and meeting the director and associate, I liked the atmosphere and the long term plans for the company.
What was your role there? What kind of projects did you work on?
I applied for the sales & research analyst role; this involved working on live projects. Some of my key tasks included analysing business plans, building financial models for start-ups and supporting entrepreneurs in their fund raising process. Furthermore I attended several tech events a week and this provided me the opportunity to interact and meet very inspiring entrepreneurs.
Has the enternship helped you get closer to your career goals? If so, how?
My career goal is to one-day start my own fund with an African focus. The internship allowed me to work with smart, creative and innovate people, gave me the opportunity to gain a better understanding of VC and how they work. I enjoyed working in the VC environment and supporting clients through their different fund raising round. The internship ignited my entrepreneurship spirit and has fuelled my desire to start my own firm.
Was the internship worth it, would you do it all over again if you could go back in time or is there something you would change?
The entire experience was a blessing and I am grateful for that opportunity as I learnt valuable transferable skills. I would definitely do it all over again and again.
What would be your best piece of advice to give other students/graduates looking for internships?
Internships are good as they give you an insight and the opportunity to realise, adjust, and validate your career goals. Sometimes we are not sure what exactly we want to do and doing an internship allows you to see whether the role suits you and if it is the right lifestyle for you. Moreover employers nowadays look for graduates with experience so doing an internship gives you a competitive advantage over the other graduates.
What do you think about the work Enternships is doing in helping students finding internships?
I think it is great what Enternships is trying to do; it allows students to discover their entrepreneurship spirit working with small and dynamic businesses. Especially nowadays where unemployment is at an all-time high, we need such platforms like Enternships to help students get internships.
What is your piece of advice for us at Enternships? Is there anything we could improve on to help candidates in their internship seeking?
The website is great but I think the site could do with a better interface. Also there weren’t as many financial roles when I was applying. It will be good if Enternships could get even more mid-cap companies to recruit through their website.
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Enternships Diary: Charlotte Forbes on her successful internshipPosted on Tuesday 01 November 2011 at 12:14PM by trrpaipai |
We love to hear stories from students and graduates who have found their internships with us and turned them into their dream 'enternship'. This week Charlotte Forbes, currently working at acceler8.me, tells us about her journey as a graduate, intern and ultimately full-time employee at a hip London startup accelerator.
What made you decide to do an internship?
I decided to do an internship because when I left university I didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do and the options of entry level jobs were limited because I had no experience. I really did not want to go into recruitment or sales roles which are what agencies tried to push me into. Generally, the internships I came across were a lot more interesting than the entry level jobs that were out there, and by doing an internship I had the opportunity to gain experience without having to commit to a permanent position.
How did you come across Enternships?
My dad read an article about them and recommended I had a look.
What was the most difficult part of looking for an internship?
Deciding in what to apply for, I was looking for an internship where I would get a chance to develop and use many different skills. Many internships were very specific.
What are the top 3 things you’re looking for on an employer’s profile/internship listing?/Why did you choose to intern at Acceler8.me?
The role itself, the industry, and if it was paid. I chose to do an internship at Digital Prophets/Acceler8.me because of the variety of the role, the autonomy I had in deciding what I did everyday and the potential for me to essentially create my own job at the end of it.
What was your role there? What kind of projects did you work on?
My role was/is as project coordinator/executive assistant. I have been working on many different projects alongside my CEO essentially all the different aspects of starting a new business. I have been doing a lot of research, as well as writing copy for the web site, and connecting with the startup community through events and meetings. I also do a lot of handing out business cards and schmoozing! What’s really exciting though is over the next few months me and my boss are going to decide together what I want my job to become.
Has the enternship helped you get closer to your career goals? If so, how?
Absolutely they want to hire me! Before this internship I had no idea what I wanted to do now, I’ve discovered I really love the startup industry and have had the opportunity to learn all about it. I really want to pursue a career in this industry and am really looking forward to creating/marketing our brand over the next few months and years.
How would you describe your dream internship?
One where I am valued, have a varied role and get to meet lots of people. I feel like this one comes close but they haven’t taken us on a company trip to Silicon Valley yet….That would be ideal *cough*.
Was the internship worth it, would you do it all over again if you could go back in time or is there something you would change?
I think my enternship has been worth it as I've had a real chance to try out the company and job my self, as much as they have been trying out me as an employee. I've appreciated that Acceler8.me is a really exciting company that is working towards helping startups, and that is a worthwhile cause. I've also discovered that working for a company in which I care about our success as a company, and consequently the success of our startups has given me real motivation to try my best at my job and work hard. I get to meet lots of interesting people and get to spend time out of the office in the startup scene promoting acceler8.me as an exciting option for startups to gain investment and mentorship opportunities, which startups wouldn't have if I hadn’t worked so hard with my CEO to get the project started.
It has also been worth it because I can see my efforts are making a difference, I have worked hard on our website www.acceler8.me which is live now so that’s pretty rewarding. Even if I hadn’t been offered the job, I have really enjoyed beginning to be involved with startups and the startup scene, so that is definitely an industry I am enjoying as a result of my internship. As an accelerator we’ll be helping startups grow to the point where they can hire their own enterns so that’s pretty exciting too!
If I could do it again I would have started looking for enternships straight after finishing uni instead of trawling through masses of boring jobs/ jobs I didn’t stand a chance of getting. During my actual enternship I probably would have chosen to miss a family birthday party I chose to go to over a work event, as whilst I was at the birthday party I wish I’d been listening to the business pitches because I’m a bit of a geek like that!
What do you think about the work Enternships is doing in helping students finding internships?
I think that enternships is doing great work in helping students find internships, working at acceler8.me (a company that helps entrepreneurs and startups) I have seen first hand that working in startups allows you to gain more experience than you would in other roles. Being involved in a startup means that your work matters, also because you’ll be working for a small company your role may be more varied than doing the same thing every day for a large corporation. I also think that by offering students the opportunity to do enternships then students get the chance to progress their careers as the company progresses.
What would be your best piece of advice to give other students/graduates looking for internships?
Be open to applying for industries you may not have considered and just put your self out there. The more applications you send the more chance you have of finding the place for you. Also once in an internship network like crazy because even if your internship doesn’t work out then you may have met someone who can help you out in future. You can’t get if you don’t ask.
Charlotte Forbes is 22 years old from Kingston Upon Thames and has recently graduated from the University of York with a 2.1 in Politics. A keen social networker, her dream is eventually to set up her own delicatessen or own company but currently the dream is to move out. Charlotte works for acceler8.me, a West London startup accelerator founded by serial entrepreneurs Raj Ramanandi and Lee Pickrell, backed by Luke Johnson, super entrepreneur and VC. They are currently planning a mentor-led 3-month accelerator programme funding, accelerating and cultivating startups. Their first program launches in the spring of 2012.
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