Business Internships

What are business internships?

As a business intern, you’ll be right in the action and take on real projects from day one. During your one to three-month internship, you’ll develop business intelligence and learn to thrive in the workplace.

The business world is huge, so there’ll be no shortage of opportunities and avenues for you to get stuck into. Some areas you could work in are:

• People development

• Project support

• Project management

• Valuation

• Risk and assessments.

Business Insight Schemes

Don’t want to commit to a whole summer working? Or unsure if going down a business route is for you? An insight scheme gives you a quick but valuable peek into what companies are really like, lasting anywhere between one day and four weeks.

These short work experiences are perfect for first or second-year students. Employers use them to spot talent (like you!) for their future internships, placements and graduate schemes.

During your time, you might:

• Join team presentations and learn from industry experts

• Work on mini-projects

• Learn the ins and outs of how the business works

• Shadow experienced staff and get a personal day-in-the-life

• Get hands-on experience in various teams.

Think of an insight scheme as a taster of the industry and workplace to see if it’s truly the place for you. You’ll boost your confidence and make some serious contacts that could open doors for you in the future.

They also look really good on your CV.

Where can you do a business internship?

You'll find tons of business internships across different companies and specialities. 

There are paid opportunities available in roles like;

• Financial risk management

• Logistics

• Investment consultancy

• Applied intelligence

• Operational management

• Purchasing.

Check out some of our best student employers looking for talented students like you to join them:

So what's it like to be a business intern? Let's meet one...

Are business internships only based in London?

Sure, London is considered a business hub, but you’re not limited to the capital. There are plenty of other pretty cool opportunities for you all over the UK.

For example, previous interns have worked for Centrica in Leicester, PwC in Glasgow and even as far as Enterprise Rent-A-Car in California, US.

It’s 100% worth doing your research, as you could find the perfect internship for you much closer to home.

How much do business interns earn?

One major perk of business internships? You'll earn a full-time salary throughout. The average business intern makes just over £23,300 pro rata, but depending on your employer, you could pocket significantly more.

If your internship is based in London, you can expect to earn a lot more than opportunities outside the capital. As a full-time employee you’ll also be entitled to a variety of benefits which can include:

• Gym membership

• Lunch vouchers/canteen

• Healthcare

• Dental coverage

• Paid training.

Every company offers different benefits, so it’s worth double checking the job description when job hunting.

How to apply for a business internship

Business internships usually start in the summer, so employers will open their roles between September and December. These schemes can be super popular so it’s worth getting your application as soon as you can.

Internships are there to give you the experience you need to land yourself a full-time career after university, so there’s no need to worry about applying with tons of experience. You’ll just need to be able to show that you have the skills they’re looking for. And you really do have them.

CV and cover letter

This is the start of all good applications. It’s your chance to show off your soft and technical skills. Think about all the projects you’ve done in and outside of university and how those are relevant to the jobs you’re applying for.

PRO TIP: Always tailor your CV to the job you’re applying for. Employers will know when you’ve just hit copy and paste from previous CVs and cover letters.

Interviews and assessment days

If an employer is impressed with your CV, you’ll be invited to an assessment centre. These seem scary, but they’re actually very fun. You’ll do a series of tasks to test your skills and allow an employer to see how you work IRL. Assessment centres aren't some big secret either, a lot of employers will outline what happens during the day on their recruitment websites.