Kristian Webber, employment expert at JENZA, explains how young Brits can land their dream internship.
In an ever-competitive job market, work experience or an internship that enables you to earn while you learn makes a lot of sense. Though landing that dream role can often feel like a job in itself.
Kristian Webber, employment expert at youth-led work and travel brand, JENZA, has shared his definitive guide for school leavers navigating their next steps.
Kristian says: “Competition for paid internships is high. Whether you’re wanting to support start up founders getting stuck in to all areas of their business, dip in to C-suite meetings at a multinational, or if a cool office space and work perks are important to you, securing that much sought after paid internship can feel like an impossible task.
“This doesn’t have to be the case. With some simple prep and forward planning, the world really can be your oyster. It’s just a case of learning how to market yourself and your experiences.”
Kristian’s complete guide for young Brits wanting to secure a much sought after paid internship is below.
Step 1: Digital housekeeping
91% of employers use social media as part of their hiring process – a process which more often than not includes researching a potential candidate. Whilst many of us treat social media as an online photo diary, you don’t want it to mean the difference between securing a dream internship and not. So, if there’s anything you wouldn’t want a potential employer to see, it’s time to delete. And just in case anything new crops up during the application process, it’s worth adjusting privacy settings so that only confirmed friends can view tagged photos or videos. A potential employer probably doesn’t need to see you and your mates partying in Ibiza…
That said, you don’t have to completely get rid of your online presence. If you’ve had a formative experience that could enhance your employability – whether through travel, fundraising or volunteering, taking on a challenge or previous work experience – it may be worth highlighting it. Just make sure to archive or delete anything you don’t want them to see, first. This way a potential employer can get a deeper overview of who you are and what you might bring to the role, before they’ve even met you.
And don’t overlook LinkedIn. You may feel like a fish out of water due to lack of experience compared to others, but it’s important to ensure it presents a professional and polished version of yourself. It’s also a great networking tool. Basic tips include:
- Use a clear, well-lit professional photo for your profile picture – no selfies, posing or outfits you’d wear on a night out
- Update your headline to reflect your skills or career goals. So, instead of ‘Student at XYZ University’, try ‘Aspiring Marketing Professional | Social Media Enthusiast’.
Ensure your experience and skills sections are up to date and consider adding volunteer work or projects that showcase your abilities.
Step 2: Ask yourself what you want, what you really, really want
Jokes aside, an internship is an important step in building your career, providing real-world experience, opportunities to network and a taster of a potential future profession. So, to ensure you’re able to make the most of it, you need to be clear about your personal interests and skills. What activities do you genuinely enjoy? What are your skills? Reflect on your strengths and interests to narrow down roles that will be fulfilling and aligned with your talents and natural preferences.
And it’s okay to get to the end of an internship and decide that that career isn’t for you. It’s simply about making the most of every experience you’re afforded.
Step 3: Tailor your CV to the role you want
A CV isn’t a one size fits all document. As frustrating as it can sound, those who tailor their CV/job application to the role stand the best chance of being asked to interview.
Each internship will require slightly different experiences and attributes. So, craft your CV around the role.
Are you applying for a role in a creative industry? A fancy template or a video covering your experiences and attributes may help you stand out from the crowd. Applying for something more corporate? Stick to a simple, easy-to-read Word document with clearly separated sections.
It’s important to highlight your skills but be honest. You want to talk up your achievements but avoid stretching the truth – embellishing your CV with inaccurate detail will only come back to bite you later.
Run a spellcheck and ask a friend or family member to proofread for you. You’d be amazed how many CV’s and job applications are discarded due to basic spelling and grammatical errors. So, if in doubt ask someone to check for you.
Step 4: Gain experience
If you aren’t having luck with your applications – disheartening as it can be – change tack. Rather than sitting and waiting for something to happen, get out there and start building out your CV with relevant experience.
Consider internships that will offer you transferrable skills. For example, if you’re planning on studying law at university but are struggling to find experience in a law firm for the summer, reach out to local non-profit organisations and charities. Many of them will have legal teams keen for support. Hoping to land a hospitality internship abroad? Reach out to local tourist attractions or hotels. Whilst they may be smaller operations and won’t necessarily have a structured internship programme set up, they can likely offer hands-on work experience for the right candidate.
Once you’ve gained more experience, re-apply or ask when the next intake of interns will be so that you’re ready to get your application in early. And don’t be afraid to pick up the phone and speak to someone at the company if you can’t find the information you need online.
Step 5: Set on an internship abroad? Double check your eligibility
If you have your heart set on an internship abroad make sure to check your eligibility prior to applying as regulations do change from time-to-time. For example, those heading to the USA require a J-1 internship or trainee visa, whilst those planning to apply for internships down under will require a working holiday visa.
And if you’re on the fence, it’s not too late. Take a leap of faith – you won’t regret it. You can literally be paid to enjoy the experience of a lifetime. What could be better than that?
For more information or support securing a dream internship at home or abroad, visit JENZA’s Intern Hub for free guidance and actionable resources to support your internship search :
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About The JENZA Travel Group:
The JENZA Travel Group consists of Summer Camp USA brand, BUNAC, Irish work and travel brand, USIT, Canadian work and travel brand, SWAP, and B Corp™ certified youth-led work and travel brand, JENZA.
The JENZA Travel Group has been creating life-shaping adventures for students, grads and 18-30s for 60+ years.
To check out the experiences offered, visit: www.jenza.com
About JENZA:
JENZA exists so that young people never have to choose between getting a job or going travelling. The working holiday and intern abroad experts – earn and explore in Canada, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, the USA and UK.
In June 2025 JENZA received B Corporation™ certification – joining a global community of businesses that meet high standards of social and environmental impact.
For more information, visit: www.jenza.com
