5 Tips to Help You Get an Internship in the Security Field
So you are looking to gain some experience in the security field to help give you a foot up towards that paid job. But how can you go about getting some? For many, an internship is a place to start. But with positions becoming more and more competitive, seemingly confined to expensive cities, and all about who you know, how can you get one? Below is a list of 6 tips that could help you on your way.
1) Think outside the box – While it is true that specific internships can look better than others, it is possible to choose different types of internships that are still look great on your CV. This may require some thinking outside to box and looking at related skills to your eventual job rather than job title. Want a job as a Middle East Analyst for a private risk company? Why not look at being a copy editor for an English language Middle East based newspaper, or a research intern in a Middle East focused think tank or with an NGO working in the Middle East? The possibilities are endless. The above examples highlight that you understand the power of writing and language (a must for any analyst), on the ground experience (boosting your credibility as a Middle East specialist) and a depth of experience outside the security sector (that can be desirable to some organisations as they want new ideas to get ahead of the competition).
2) Do something useful while you search – Don’t just sit at home waiting for that internship. Why not combine your search with activities that can help increase your skills and experience? For example, volunteer while looking for an internship? Or take a language course and apply for internships nearby. For example, language schools in Oman are an hour flight / 4 hour drive from Dubai or Abu Dhabi, where many security organisations have their Middle East offices. Alternatively in Lebanon and Jordan, you can study Arabic and volunteer with NGOs based there boosting your on the ground experience.
3) Shop around – Don’t just stick to looking at large companies that have automatic application systems where you can get lost in the system. Look at the smaller companies too. While these may not always be offering internships, they may be less competitive than bigger companies. You may even end up getting more responsibility and a more personalised experience. For help with where you can look, please look at our Careers Page for more, or follow us on Twitter for regular job and internship postings.
4) Reach out to meet hiring managers – A good way of getting a foot in the door can be to directly reach out to hiring managers or the someone who works in the department to either ask about the internship in more detail (and getting you noticed) or if no role is offered, asking for general advice on how to improve your chances in getting into the sector. People by in large, love to pass on advice to others and take a break from work! While this may not always help you get an internship or position, asking people’s advice may help you get an idea of what skills and experience the candidate is expected. It can also help you get information on your chosen industry that you did not know as well as the names of other companies that you could apply to (asking who the company’s competitors are or if they know of anywhere hiring are two great questions to ask). This tactic can potentially get you remembered for future roles or lead to further contacts that could help you!
5) Make sure your CV and Cover Letter is up to scratch – Sounds simple, but have you streamlined and tailored your CV and Cover letter for the internship you are applying to? If you don’t have experience, have you made your CV a skills based CV or if you do, have you maximized your CV to highlight your experience?
Be patient and persevere as sometimes it can all be about luck. While the above list is not exhaustive, following these traits can go some way in helping you with your application. Good luck with your search!
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