Meet the expert

My name is Caroline Mathews. I am a current graduate working for Lloyds, and a

previous intern. I work in the Class of Business Underwriting and Performance
team at Lloyds.
To be honest, I can’t say I’ve always dreamt of working in the insurance industry.
At the time I was applying for internships the reputation of the banks had been
damaged quite badly, which made me look elsewhere.
And the opportunity to work in the insurance industry came up so I applied to
Lloyds.
I actually found out about the Lloyds internship through a friend. She had been
looking on the internet and thought it was something that I would like to pursue.
Erm ... however, you can hear about internships through various different methods.
The internet is one. Also, Graduate Careers Fairs at Universities and schools, flyers
and also Facebook.
I applied for the internship during my second year at university. It consisted of an
internet submission, psychometric tests, which are your verbal reasoning and your
numerical tests. And a telephone interview and an assessment centre day.
The assessment day consisted of a presentation, a group task and a written task.
Erm ... 14 people attended and they hired four. So I do believe it was quite
competitive and it was a very nerve- wracking experience.
I do believe that the Lloyds internship was well structured. The first three days of
the internship consisted of training and it taught you about Lloyds and what Lloyds
does and its strategy.
Also, during the eight weeks, I had one day of personal development training,
which consisted of presentation and influencing skills.
In addition to that, I had a buddy, who was a current Lloyds Graduate who had also
been through the same process and was there to support you through your
placement.
The internship actually gave me a placement on the Graduate Scheme, which was
my goal. It also allowed me to enter the Graduate Scheme more knowledgeable
than others, which I thought was a very privileged position to be in.
In addition to that, I was more motivated and confident during my final year at
university.
I would always recommend you to do internships. Getting jobs these days is very
tough, erm ... and even if you don’t get a job at the end of it, then it will always
look good on your CV and show potential employers that you’re motivated and
you’ve gone out of your way to develop.
I understand also that unpaid internships are very difficult and living is expensive,
but any experience is good experience.
I have three tips for students applying for internships. Jobs are competitive these
days, so I recommend you apply to as many as possible. So hopefully at the end
you have a choice.
Secondly, tailor your CV and your application form to the role and the industry
you are applying to. This includes highlighting the relevant skills that are needed
for that role.
And thirdly, during an interview, always ask questions. It shows the interviewer
that you’ve thought about the role and that you’re interested.