step 3. arranging an internship placement
Step 3. Arranging an internship placement
In this step:
Deadline: Friday 16 February 2024
In this step:
- You write to companies or organisation and arrange an internship placement
- You make arrangements with the organisation and sign an internship contract
- Meeting finding internships on Wednesday 13 December 2023 5th lesson period (start of development day)
- Meeting finding internships on Tuesday 30 January 2024 14:35-15:25 (mandatory for students who do not have an internship by then)
Deadline: Friday 16 February 2024
Writing to organisations
When you start writing to organisations, you can use the company details as well as the personal statement and the CV you have created in the previous step. Do make sure to carefully adapt your personal statement to the specific company you are addressing (e.g. change names and reasons why you chose this company), otherwise it can come across very unprofessionally. It is best to approach two or three companies at the same time. Save all correspondence between you and any organisations.
Think in advance of how to approach an organisation. A first impression is important. Prepare and think what you want to know. Find out at as much about the company as you can and think of what you could do during the week you will spend with them. What kind of organisations is it? What do they do? Why do you want to do your internship there? How big is the orgaisation? How long has it existed? Are there more than one branches or offices? Is it profit or non profit? What is the organisation's mission? What could you do as part of your internship? What would you like to learn or find out?
Also think of what the company may want to know from you. The organisation can receive an English language introduction letter about the school and the bilingual programme from us - through you. The letter also says what we, as a school, expect from the internship. Add the letter to your personal statement and CV when you e-mail an organisation. Find a copy at the bottom of this page (RSG Broklede Introduction Letter).
Don't be daunted, as you might have to face (many) rejections. Do not expect an answer within 48 hours or even a week - especially large international companies are very busy - but be aware that it may be a rejection. Often you will even hear nothing at all. Some students write to tens of organisations before even getting a reply. All of these are reasons to approach more than one company at the same time. Also, don't wait too long before e-mailing other organisations after having sent out the first e-mails. If you hear back from an organisation, do always politely reply, even when you have already found another placement.
If you are really not getting on, look over your e-mail with someone else. Have you written why you specifically want to do your internship at this organisation? Is your English correct and your tone polite and interested? Organisations might be more prepared to offer you a placement if you show you are enthusiastic about the organisation's specific activities or mission. When communication remains silent, call the organisation yourself. Do this about a week after you have e-mailed. Tell the organisation about your e-mail and ask if someone could have a look at it. Have you not found anything yet by the end of January/ start of February? We can provide further help. Do make sure to show evidence of all the e-mails you have sent and when you have sent them.
We offer two workshops about finding internships where everyone is welcome. The second workshop is mandatory for everyone who has not found an internship by that time. Be aware that these workshops are intended to help you (e.g. go over your letters or show you where previous students have been), not to arrange an internship for you.
Arrangements and contract
But you will get there: you will have secured an internship placement! That's great. Now it is important to make all arrangements for your internship. This means you have to approach the company further, preferably through a phone call or online meeting. Make sure you are assigned an internship supervisor (often also your contact person). Make concrete arrangements with that person: when are you doing your internship, which form will it take (for instance, work experience or taking on concrete tasks) and what exactly will you be doing? When and where do you have to be on your first day?
Deliver
To formalise this step, sign the contract in the appendix (Form B) with your internship supervisor, your parents and your TTO coordinator. Apart from you and the organisation agreeing to the internship, your parents will also have to agree with your plans and the location you plan to travel to, and your TTO coordinator will have to approve of the chosen organisation. Signing can be done digitally with your organisation, but make sure your TTO coordinator can sign on paper by printing the contract yourself. Deliver the contract before 20 February 2023 in room 012 on paper, which is handiest if you need your TTO coordinator to sign it before the due date. Make sure to inform the coordinator in person or through mail that you have delivered the contract. When everyone has signed the contract, it is polite to make sure your internship supervisor receives a fully signed copy. Pick up your paper copy again from your coordinator, scan it and send it to your organisation. You can then also deliver it in the Magister Opdrachtenbox.
When you start writing to organisations, you can use the company details as well as the personal statement and the CV you have created in the previous step. Do make sure to carefully adapt your personal statement to the specific company you are addressing (e.g. change names and reasons why you chose this company), otherwise it can come across very unprofessionally. It is best to approach two or three companies at the same time. Save all correspondence between you and any organisations.
Think in advance of how to approach an organisation. A first impression is important. Prepare and think what you want to know. Find out at as much about the company as you can and think of what you could do during the week you will spend with them. What kind of organisations is it? What do they do? Why do you want to do your internship there? How big is the orgaisation? How long has it existed? Are there more than one branches or offices? Is it profit or non profit? What is the organisation's mission? What could you do as part of your internship? What would you like to learn or find out?
Also think of what the company may want to know from you. The organisation can receive an English language introduction letter about the school and the bilingual programme from us - through you. The letter also says what we, as a school, expect from the internship. Add the letter to your personal statement and CV when you e-mail an organisation. Find a copy at the bottom of this page (RSG Broklede Introduction Letter).
Don't be daunted, as you might have to face (many) rejections. Do not expect an answer within 48 hours or even a week - especially large international companies are very busy - but be aware that it may be a rejection. Often you will even hear nothing at all. Some students write to tens of organisations before even getting a reply. All of these are reasons to approach more than one company at the same time. Also, don't wait too long before e-mailing other organisations after having sent out the first e-mails. If you hear back from an organisation, do always politely reply, even when you have already found another placement.
If you are really not getting on, look over your e-mail with someone else. Have you written why you specifically want to do your internship at this organisation? Is your English correct and your tone polite and interested? Organisations might be more prepared to offer you a placement if you show you are enthusiastic about the organisation's specific activities or mission. When communication remains silent, call the organisation yourself. Do this about a week after you have e-mailed. Tell the organisation about your e-mail and ask if someone could have a look at it. Have you not found anything yet by the end of January/ start of February? We can provide further help. Do make sure to show evidence of all the e-mails you have sent and when you have sent them.
We offer two workshops about finding internships where everyone is welcome. The second workshop is mandatory for everyone who has not found an internship by that time. Be aware that these workshops are intended to help you (e.g. go over your letters or show you where previous students have been), not to arrange an internship for you.
Arrangements and contract
But you will get there: you will have secured an internship placement! That's great. Now it is important to make all arrangements for your internship. This means you have to approach the company further, preferably through a phone call or online meeting. Make sure you are assigned an internship supervisor (often also your contact person). Make concrete arrangements with that person: when are you doing your internship, which form will it take (for instance, work experience or taking on concrete tasks) and what exactly will you be doing? When and where do you have to be on your first day?
Deliver
To formalise this step, sign the contract in the appendix (Form B) with your internship supervisor, your parents and your TTO coordinator. Apart from you and the organisation agreeing to the internship, your parents will also have to agree with your plans and the location you plan to travel to, and your TTO coordinator will have to approve of the chosen organisation. Signing can be done digitally with your organisation, but make sure your TTO coordinator can sign on paper by printing the contract yourself. Deliver the contract before 20 February 2023 in room 012 on paper, which is handiest if you need your TTO coordinator to sign it before the due date. Make sure to inform the coordinator in person or through mail that you have delivered the contract. When everyone has signed the contract, it is polite to make sure your internship supervisor receives a fully signed copy. Pick up your paper copy again from your coordinator, scan it and send it to your organisation. You can then also deliver it in the Magister Opdrachtenbox.
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