Kate Steere
Career Lab UK Summer Internships are an exclusive opportunity to undertake a six-or eight-week paid internship with a UK employer during the summer vacation. In 2023, there were over 150 internship vacancies exclusive to second or penultimate-year students at Sussex.
We caught up with Kate Steere, internship host at Finder, a financial comparison website.
Which organisation are you with, and how would you describe it in a couple of lines?
Finder is a personal finance website which helps consumers compare products online so they can make better-informed decisions. Consumers can visit the website to compare savings accounts, credit cards, investing platforms, insurance products and so much more before choosing the option that best suits their needs.
What type of employment do you offer to students?
We offer summer internships to students. These are publishing assistant roles, where the interns work closely with our publishing and editorial teams across a number of content creation/improvement projects over the summer.
What positive experiences have you had with hosting students for an internship previously?
We’ve participated in the University of Sussex internship programme since 2018 and have been lucky to have some brilliant students. Our most recent interns have been keen and capable. They showed a lot of their own initiative and really helped drive some of our key projects forward. Most importantly, they fit in well with our teams and were keen to get stuck in.
What sort of characteristics are you looking for in your interns?
We look for candidates who have a keen eye for detail and who can work well both individually and in a team. They need to have good writing and research skills, as they’ll be supporting us in ensuring all the content on our site is high quality and helpful to our readers. Someone who is interested in the world of finance is a plus, but not a must. Mainly we want someone who is keen to learn, happy to take feedback and wants to help our customers make better financial decisions.
How much knowledge and experience do you expect an internship student to have?
We don’t expect our students to have any subject area knowledge before they join us. In most cases, having fresh eyes on our content is a huge positive! Same with experience. As long as an internship student can demonstrate good writing skills, some form of data analysis and an ability to think about how to present this in an engaging way, we’re happy to support and teach the rest.
What makes a good application?
Showing that they’ve researched our company and have tailored their cover letter or opening statement to the publishing assistant role really helps. Preparation ahead of the interview is also a big positive. If a candidate can show they’ve thought about what the role will entail, that really stands out. Having solid examples of times they’ve worked in a team or on a project or overcome a challenge are also key. These don’t have to be from work experience - they could be in their academic studies, sporting achievements or volunteering pursuits.
Can you share a highlight from working with Sussex students in the past?
We’ve had some great success stories from several previous Sussex students. We like our interns to have ownership of a project and “go live” during their time with us. Last year our Sussex intern created a content calendar for us which we still use to this day. Previous students have also stayed on as regular freelancers. Meanwhile, one had just landed a job as an SEO analyst - an area which he showed a real flair for while he was with us.
Why do you think students should take part in an internship?
The internship is a great way to learn how a business works and gain experience and skills that students can take forward into the future. It also helps students work out what they like and what they don’t like. During their time with us, we like to ask interns what parts of the role they are enjoying and what they would like to do more of. Exposing them to different teams and different parts of the company helps them to gain confidence in a variety of areas.
What would you say to students who are unsure about applying or taking part?
The internship is a unique opportunity to get some hands-on experience and learn new skills. Do you like working with enthusiastic and motivated people? Do you want to sharpen your writing skills or learn more about SEO? This internship will give you all of that and more. Finder is a small company, which means it’s easy to get to know everyone and get involved in a range of projects.
How will the scheme help students to develop the skills you would look for in someone you would hire for your company?
Our interns work alongside our teams and have ownership of their own projects. This gives them the freedom to use their own initiative and drive things forward themselves, while also having the support of a team and learning how their work fits into the company’s wider strategic goals.
If students are interested in finding out more about your organisation or your sector, where should they look?
We’re a global organisation. So the first place to look would be our UK website finder.com/uk. But anyone who’s interested in finding out more should also take a look at our Australia and US websites finder.com.au and finder.com.
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Interested?
Career Lab UK Summer Internships are open to all second, third and final-year undergraduate students. Applications open in March 2024. Early applications are advised, as vacancies may close at short notice.
The programme is part of Career Lab, a series of opportunities designed to develop students' skills, experiences and confidence, to help boost career prospects. Places are prioritised for students from underrepresented backgrounds, and we particularly welcome your application.