By Abbie Hammond
So, you’re thinking about applying for an international internship? Here, at The Intern Group, the process is quite simple. It involves filling out some basic information, uploading your resume, and going through a 20 minute interview. Now, we know interviews can be a nerve-racking process but we want you to do your best! So here’s a step-by-step breakdown of what to expect in The Intern Group interview.
How will we contact you?
When you sign up on our website by filling out the application make sure to include an accurate Skype ID and/or phone number. Depending on the information you provide, we normally call first via Skype and if we can’t get hold of you, we ring your phone. Make sure you’re ready at least 5 minutes before your time slot. We have a lot of interviews so we want to make sure that you get enough time to show us who you are! If you can’t make the interview or need to cancel, please let us know beforehand. We know life happens and interviews get cancelled, so we are always happy to have you reschedule.
Who will interview you?
You will be interviewed by a member of our admissions team.
Stages of the Interview:
Stage 1: Introduction. At first we just want to get to know you a bit better and see what you’ve been doing recently. Tell us about yourself and why you want to do an international internship. What makes you tick? If you’re in university tell us about your courses and what you’ve been studying. Similarly if you’re already working, tell us about a few of your recent projects. A lot of times it is useful for us to know about that one thing that has inspired you to go global.
Stage 2: Destination. When you apply, we ask that you specify which destination you would like to go to. Don’t worry if you’re torn between a few destinations (we know they all rock)! This isn’t a final choice; you can discuss options with our admissions team if you are not sure which one would suit you best. Your interviewer will probably ask why you picked your chosen location, be prepared with an interesting and original answer. We want to know what attracts you to an international internship!
Stage 3: Career Field. Here’s your chance to demonstrate your passion for the career fields that you have chosen. Show us why you would be the perfect candidate for our program. If you have any previous work experience or are studying in this area, you could tell us how this will complement and facilitate an internship. If you don’t have any direct experience, think about other things you have done in the past and the skills you’ve learned and how these things might relate to your desired industry sector. We know you have a lot to offer so here is where you really need to connect past experiences with your future goals.
Stage 4: Extra Information. After discussing your options and deciding on a destination and industry sector, make sure to specify how long you want to go for and when you want to start your internship. Our programs run from 6 weeks long to 6 months and we suggest that you apply 3 months in advance of your start date. Our admissions team will also give you a recap of the interview to make sure everything is correct for the next stage in the interview process.
What happens next?
We will let you know in 2-3 business days whether you have been successful with your application. If you have been accepted onto the program this means you are guaranteed an internship! Once you have placed a deposit the directors of our local teams in country will get in touch with you and from there you will have a couple more interviews discussing which companies would suit you best.
Now that you know exactly what to expect, check out our interview tips and tricks.
Good Luck!
Sources:
Photos 1: The Intern Group
