What kind of program did you participate in?
Intern Abroad
What inspired you to pursue an online program?
One of my personal goals for this year was trying to find a job in Europe, but because of the pandemic and the restrictions that didn't allow me to travel, I still wanted to get some experience in the field. This led me to research options which were suitable during the pandemic.
Why did you choose Intern Remote?
I had a few calls with different companies and I just felt that during our first call there was a lot of structure and emphasis on my objectives and how the internship could benefit me and help me get to the next step.
This was what I was looking for and I'm glad I chose them. They're really friendly and helpful!
What was your favorite part about the program?
Learning about the company I was in. There were definitely cultural challenges, but I probably learned more because of it. Because the company was quite small, I also got to work with a few different people and learn about their roles within the company. Of course, being remote it wasn't as easy to get to know everyone as much as it would be in person, but there are also things I benefited from working remotely.
What makes Intern Remote unique?
This is the first program I've done like this, so I can't really compare. When I was investigating different programmes, Intern Remote stood about because it was much more affordable than anything else I had seen, but what they offered was basically the same. I don't know if other programmes are as involved in everything as the team was with my programme, but I was happily surprised by everything they did for me.
How did program staff support you throughout the program?
We had regular calls and catch ups to go over what I was doing in the internship and to see what else I could do to make the most of my time there.
Laura also sent me regular emails to let me know she was there, which definitely reassured me. There were also feedback forms that I had to fill out about the tasks and the type of support I was getting and how I was communicating with my manager and team.
What is one thing you wish you had done differently?
I think if I could start the same internship again today, I would probably start by communicating more/better. It's something that Laura told me to do a lot, but at the start it does seem a bit strange to not be in the office with them, so I waited to hear from them sometimes.
I would probably contact the team and my manager more, and maybe even get in touch with other people in the company and introduce myself.
Describe a typical day in the life of your program.
I chose to work part time and I was able to choose my working hours in the week. Generally on Mondays there was a company call, so I got to sit in on that and find out what the company goals were and how the different teams worked and communicated.
What did you enjoy most about the program?
It had its ups and downs - managing my time and deadlines were difficult.
I think the best part of it was building my network and just being able to put some relevant work experience on my CV. I now have a different role and it was good being able to talk about this experience in my interview because I felt much more confident.
What is one thing every participant should know before participating in Intern Remote?
The more proactive you are, the more you'll get out of it. There are pros and cons of doing a remote internship (it was nice to work from the sofa!) and it's up to you to have a positive attitude.
Now that you've finished up your online program, how has it impacted your life (i.e. career, education, etc.)?
I think it helped me secure my current role because it's now on my CV and I could talk about it in my interview.
Also I want to create my own agency and this gave me the proper experience to create some basics.
Would you recommend Intern Remote to others? Why?
I would definitely recommend doing this programme if you want to save time looking for an internship. You are guaranteed an internship in the area you choose and you don't have to send out hundreds of applications. I also recommend it because the team is lovely and really supportive.
