Internship Abroad to Career

By Lauren Ponsi (photo credit: Daria Nepriakhina)

Internships are a vital part of building your resumé and developing skills. Internships are an investment in your future because ultimately it is creating the foundation of your career. I have completed a series of different internships in a few different companies, across different sectors, but it all ties back to help my career choice in the end.  

Here are 3 reasons why my internship helps me choose a career path.

Real world experience

Doing an internship gives you an opportunity to work hands-on in your field of choice. You get to see a day to day view of what a certain job might be like and teach you more about that job. Think of it as taking a job for a test drive- internships are a way to try out different jobs and explore different options. When choosing to do internships, try out positions from different departments.M internship was in marketing, PR, community relations and events. I gained an insight for the various roles but all created a foundation of skills that I can use in any of those roles in the end. I found my passion as well as became a well-rounded individual.

 

 

photo credit: Kyle Glenn

 

Personal Development

All experiences we go through, shape us to who we want to be. To know yourself is to know your goals and you’re going to achieve them. An internship is a great way to test your boundaries and learn from failure. You’re placed in a position where you might not know how to do things, and that’s okay. You not only learn about the necessary skills for the job but you learn about yourself and how you work in a workplace environment. Internships gave me confidence in my work, I was given tasks outside my comfort zone that led me to showable skills on my resume. I no longer fear making cold calls about sales but know sales probably not my strong suit. Whereas the fast pace of an event was stressful and scary but now is something I love to do.

 

photo credit: rawpixel

 

Network Building

Building a strong professional network early on is critical on any career path. Sure anyone can attend a networking event and chat up some recruiter at a booth but creating connections through an internship can be even more beneficial. Your supervisor and other employees can see your work in real life and see how you work with others. By interacting with professionals you make new connections and learn how to communicate in a professional environment. You never know who people might be connected with. Your internships might not have availability for a full-time position but your supervisor may put you in contact with someone who does and can give a reference for your work ethic. My internship in Ireland allowed me to put an Irish company on my resume and my supervisor gave me a reference for a future job in Ireland.  

 

photo credit: Helena Lopes

Internships are a great way to test the waters with what you want to do. You can develop your personal and professional all while investing in the foundation of your career. Utilize internships to try out different roles and find exactly what career you want to do.

Considering A Graduate Program?

Graduate school can seem a little intimidating. You’ve just spent the guts of FOUR long years doing your undergrad. The thoughts of more all-nighters, increased student loans, and a pretty competitive jobs market- boo!

What if there was an option that was lower in cost, took less time and came with some pretty sweet perks…sounds too good to be true?! Well, it’s not. Here’s why you should consider a graduate program in Ireland.

 

(photo credit: unsplash)

Timeframe…

Time is money and money is being able to get that guacamole on your burrito, win/win! You’ve spent at least FOUR years as an undergraduate, the thoughts of two, three or even four more years to gain a masters degree is killer right?! Fear not- most graduate programs in Ireland take one or two years maximum. Short and sweet!

 

Cost…

Program costs can vary depending on the course and university, average costs are between $10,000- $20,000 per year which is significantly lower than in the US (medical based graduate programs can be higher). Sidenote: you will also have the ability to earn some cash while you study, more on that next. 

 

(photo credit: unsplash)

Opportunities…

Employment

You will also have the ability to work while you study! Those on graduate programs are permitted to work 20hrs (part-time) per week during university terms and up to 40hrs (full-time) during the holidays. Graduates can also avail of an extension of up to 24 months after their program finishes. Currently, graduates with skills in STEM, Accountancy, and Law are in high demand. 

Resumè boost

Your resumè will get a big ol’ boost too. Graduate school alone looks good on your resume, but graduate school abroad looks even better. This shows employers you’ve super skills in areas such as maturity, working/learning in a diverse setting, and much more.

Language barriers

Embarking on a graduate program in Spain or Italy sounds A-MAZ-ING, until you realize that language can be a huge barrier. Let’s not beat around the bush here, settling into a new city and school can be stressful enough. As English is the spoken language in Ireland, you won’t have to worry about a language barrier…just make sure you know all about having the “craic” and a cuppa “tae”.

 

(photo credit: unsplash)

Experience…

Away from the classroom, the experience will be awesome! Live in a new city, immerse yourself into local culture, connect with people from all walks of life and take the opportunity to travel across Europe too. Weekend hop to places like London, Edinburgh, Barcelona, and Paris with cheap flights from Dublin airport.

 

Bet you still have a million thoughts and questions!

If you’re worried about financing your studies, check out this helpful how to get scholarships to study abroad blog.

There are programs that can help with the application, arriving and settling in process. The Stint Ireland Graduate Program which is in partnership with UCD, one of Europe’s top universities, offers a program packed will all the support you will need to help you get set up and settled into life in Dublin.

Chillin’ with the Frockadvisor Film Crew

Frockadvisor has taken Ireland by storm in the past month. For those of you who are unaware of this brand new app let me explain.

The brainchild of Brendan Courtney and Sonya Lennon. An app that lets you connect with your fashion community. For example, you see an item of clothing that you like, you can post a picture of it, and your retail community will tell you what they have that’s the same or similar. And, if you can’t find a visual, just tell them what you want – those massive heels or that dress with polka dots – and they’ll post you pictures of a match. I have the pleasure of being part of the fantastic film crew and edit current fashion for the online content.

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Off The Beaten Track: Tivoli Theatre Car Park in Dublin

Tucked inside Francis St, a side street of the gritty Thomas St, is an oasis of colour, the Tivoli Theatre Car Park, Dublin’s own “5 Pointz.” As someone who walks down Thomas St everyday to get to work, it took me five months before I took the time to check this place out.

I read about the car park in Secret Dublin a few months ago and penciled it onto my to-do list. All I had to do was make a right turn while on my way home one day to see this marvellous site. But right turns can be tricky, eh?

I blame the rain.

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Everything You Need To Know To Bag Your Dream Job

It’s rabbit season. No, it’s duck season! Nope, it’s actually job season. It always is, isn’t it?

In order to help you get your dream job, we’ve compiled this set of links covering various aspects of the job process. With this link pack, you’ll be well on your way to becoming the ultimate super person employers would die to hire.

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Become A “Viking.” Roar And Shake Your Fists At “Celts.”

Viking Splash Tour

If you’ve spent any time in the city centre of Dublin, you’ve probably noticed the screaming hordes of Vikings (or people wearing Viking hats) being driven around in yellow tanks. It’s hard to understand what the fuss is apart until you don your Viking helmet.

But when you do, boom!

Your transformation is complete. You are now a Viking raider and everyone else outside your yellow vessel is now a “Celt.”

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Stint Faves: Jeffrey’s Romp Through Dublin (Northside)

Dublin is vibrant, full-of-history, beautiful, blah, blah, and all that jazz. You’ve heard all of that before. But what’s an ideal day in Dublin like?

Well, it’s different for everyone so we decided to have a bit of fun and ask everyone at Stint HQ about their ideal day in Dublin.

Last time we asked Melanie, the boss, about her ideal day. Today we’ll feature Jeffrey’s perfect day in Dublin

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