Employers 'value internship experience'

By Nikki Barrister

Internships can help job candidates stand out from the crowd and improve their chances of securing employment, it has been claimed.

Writing in the Guardian, Maggie Mallon stated that the ongoing recession means the competition for employment positions is greater than ever.

In an attempt to stimulate the recruitment market, the government has set up a national internship scheme as a way to help this year's 400,000 graduates into employment through paid work placements.

Heather Collier, director of the National Council for Work Experience, commented that most employers want prior experience and are more concerned about that than what type of degree a candidate has or what university they went to.

"It's important that any employer offering an internship follow our criteria for good work experience … the mechanism for recruitment and induction should be as rigorous as it is for full-time employees," she added.

Earlier this week, Karen Hainsworth wrote in the Guardian that evidence of a balanced lifestyle and social skills can help candidates secure sales jobs.

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Filed: 17-04-2009