An internship can be a great opportunity for you to get experience in the working world and to learn the skills you'll need in order to find a job once you graduate. But with so many students looking for internship opportunities, there can be fierce competition for the best internships and it can be hard to find the right setting for you. You want to make sure that the internship you choose gives you useful real-world training and the chance to get to know people working in your field and to network with prospective employers. A good internship can go a long way to selling your CV to employers once you have graduated and started job hunting. Internships are clearly important, but how can you find the one which is right for you? Today we're discussing how to find the internship you want for 2016.

Get started early

It's important to get started early. The best internships get snapped up quickly, and generally speaking, the larger and higher-profile the company, the earlier they start looking for interns. So start looking out for companies where you could do your internship as soon as possible.

Where to find an internship: at your university

Credit: COD Newsroom

Your university will almost certainly have resources to help you find an internship which you should take advantage of. Start at your university's careers office, and see if they have a job listing website that you can check. Often, university careers departments will be in touch with local employers and have listings for internship possibilities before anyone else. Another great resource is the network of alumni from your university. See if you can find an alumni network or mailing list, and look for anyone working in your field. If you contact an alumni and mention that you are attending their former university, they can be more inclined to help you find an opportunity.

Also, find out if your university is running a careers fair or internship fair. These events give you the chance to speak to representatives of large numbers of companies who are looking for students to recruit, for internships and/or jobs. Be prepared for these events to be busy and somewhat overwhelming, so make sure you're organised in order to make the most of them. Take notes about everyone you speak to, and remember to get business cards or contact information from the representatives so that you can get in touch with them later.

Where to find an internship: online

Of course, there are many companies who advertise for internship positions online, and there are a number of websites which have listings of internships which you can peruse. Here at INOMICS.com we share the latest internship opportunities on our job listings pages. You can also look on sites which specialise in internship listings, such as internships.com or internmatch.com, or on general job sites like indeed.com. Or if you are looking for an internship in a non-profit organisation specifically, you can try idealist.org, which connects those looking to volunteer or work in the non-profit sector with the companies that suit their profile. Also, don't forget to look on other business networking sites if you use them, such as LinkedIn or Glassdoor.

Contacting employers directly

Finally, don't forget that you aren't limited to only those internships which are listed in adverts. If there is a business or organisation which you are really keen on interning at, you can always contact them directly. Try to find the contact details of their hiring manager, or personnel manager if they have one. Then email them with a brief bit of information about yourself and let them know you're interested in interning. Make sure you tell them what skills you have to offer, what kind of work you'd be able to do, and what time frame you'd be working in, and attach your CV. You might just be able to land your ideal internship!

Good luck with your search for an internship for 2016!

Header photo credit: Juhan Sonin