We'd all love to be working in our dream job but sometimes it can be a little bit harder to get there than initially thought.
Sometimes, taking on an internship can be a great way to gain valuable experience and make some priceless contacts. Many Irish companies are now using the Government's JobBridge internship scheme to recruit new faces but the process can be a little confusing.
Here's all you need to know about bagging your first placement.
1) Am I eligible?
There is a set of criteria that must be met by each applicant for the JobBridge scheme as the aim of the programme is to assist in breaking the cycle where jobseekers are unable to get a job without experience, either as new entrants to the labour market after education or training or as unemployed workers wishing to learn new skills.
In order to be eligible to participate in JobBridge, an individual must be currently be in receipt of a live claim such as Jobseekers Allowance, Jobseekers Benefit, One Parent Family Payment, Disability Allowance or signing for credits.
They must also have been in receipt of one of the above or signing for Social Insurance Contribution Credits for a total of three months (78 days) or more in the last six months.
Periods spent on Back to Education Allowance, VTOS, FÁS/SOLAS and Fáilte Ireland Training courses, Youthreach, FIT, Community Employment Schemes, TUS, the Rural Social Scheme, Back to Work Scheme, Back to Work Enterprise Allowance, Momentum Courses, Job Initiative or Job Assist will count towards meeting the eligibility of JobBridge, provided:
· The individual has completed the programme
· Has a live claim
· Is in receipt of Jobseekers Allowance/Jobseekers Benefit/ One Parent Family Payment/Disability Allowance or signing for Social Insurance Contribution Credits immediately before commencing on JobBridge.
2) How do I find a position?
The most important of thing when searching for an internship is finding a position that will allow you to learn new skills and progress in your chosen field a there's no point in taking on a 40 hour week if you don't enjoy it or gain from the experience. All JobBridge internships are listed online
here and can be filtered by location, sector and date.
Make sure to read the full details of each internship and research the company before deciding to apply. Make sure to take into consideration the location of the office, transport costs, the hours required each week, whether the placement lasts for six or nine months, the education that is being offered and if the position is a good fit for your skills.
3) How do I apply?
Once you have chosen an internship, apply for the position as if it were a full-time job. Namely by tailoring your CV to the job and making your relevant experience clear at the beginning of the document.
Once you're happy with it, write a cover letter outlining why you're applying for the job, why you want to work with the particular company and what you can bring to the business. Cover letters are often the deciding factor in whether someone gets to the interview stage or not so put as much effort into this as you do with your CV. Get someone else to proof read both and send to the address contained in the online job advertisement.
4) Ok, so I completed an interview and received a job offer. What next?
If you accept the internship, you will continue to receive your current social welfare allowance, as well as a top-up of €50 per week from the Department of Social Protection. If you find a full-time job during your internship, you are entitled to leave the company to take up the new position.
For more information, see www.jobbridge.ie.
