How to find an internship or field attachment
Where internships come from, how to ask for one, and how to turn it into experience employers value.
Why an internship matters
Many adverts ask for experience, even for junior roles. An internship, a field attachment or volunteer work is one of the best ways to get that first experience. It gives you real tasks to write on your CV, people who can act as your referees, and a chance to learn how a workplace runs.
Some internships are paid and some are not. Some lead to a job offer, many don't. Even when they don't, the experience and the contacts you make often help with the next application.
Where internships come from
- Adverts: banks, telecom companies, non-governmental organisations, international organisations and government institutions sometimes advertise internship or graduate programmes. They are listed on Kaziplat with other jobs. Search for "intern", "internship", "graduate trainee" or "attachment".
- Your college or university: many have an industrial training or career office that keeps contacts with employers and helps students find field placements.
- Asking directly: smaller companies, clinics, schools, workshops and local offices often take interns without advertising. A polite letter or visit can open a door.
- People you know: lecturers, former classmates who already work, relatives and neighbours may know an office that needs help.
Writing to ask for a place
When no place is advertised, write a short letter or email. Keep it to a few paragraphs:
- Who you are: your name, your course and your college, and your year or when you finished.
- What you are asking for: an internship or attachment, the dates you are available, and whether you have a letter from your college.
- Why this organisation: one or two sentences that show you know what it does.
- What you can offer: skills such as Excel, writing, customer care or a technical skill from your course.
Attach your CV and, if you have one, the introduction letter from your college. Address it to a named person where you can, such as the Human Resources Manager or the head of the department you want to join.
Prepare before you start
If you are offered a place, confirm the start date, the working hours, who you will report to and what you should bring. Ask whether you need a letter, an insurance cover or a medical form from your college.
On the first day, arrive early and dressed the way people in that workplace dress. Bring a notebook. Learn people's names and roles. Ask your supervisor what they expect from you in the first two weeks.
Costs and unpaid placements
Some placements pay an allowance, many don't. Before you accept, work out what it will cost you in transport, meals and, if it's in another town, accommodation, and how long you can manage that. Ask whether the organisation offers any support. A shorter placement close to home that you can finish well is often better than a long one far away that you can't afford to complete.
Make the most of it
- Ask for real tasks. Offer to help with work the team actually needs done. Real work is what you will describe on your CV later.
- Keep a record. Each week, write down what you did, the tools you used and anything you finished. It is easy to forget details later.
- Be reliable. Arrive on time, finish what you start, and say early if you can't. Reliability is what supervisors remember most.
- Learn from everyone. Watch how experienced staff handle customers, reports and problems. Ask questions when there is time.
- Stay professional online. Don't share the organisation's internal matters on social media.
When it ends
Before you leave, thank your supervisor and ask whether they would be willing to act as a referee or write a short letter about your work. Ask for a certificate or letter confirming your dates and role, if the organisation provides one.
Then add the internship to your CV under work experience, with the dates, the organisation and three or four lines on what you did. Write it the same way you would write a job: "Prepared weekly stock reports for the branch" is stronger than "did attachment in the stores department". If the organisation advertises a job later, apply: you already know how it works, and they already know you.
If you can't find a placement
Keep trying several routes at once, and widen your search to smaller organisations and nearby towns. Meanwhile, build experience in other ways: volunteer, help a family or community business with its records or marketing, or do a project related to your course. These count on a CV too, and they show employers that you take initiative.
More guides
- How to write a CV employers read
- How to write an application letter
- How to prepare for a job interview
- How to apply for a job by email
- How to spot fake job adverts
- Documents to have ready before you apply
- Finding your first job after college
- Applying for government jobs in Tanzania
- What to do after you apply
- Building the skills employers ask for
- How to read a job advert before you apply
- How to search and apply for jobs using only your phone
- How to choose and prepare your referees
- How to prepare for written tests and aptitude tests
- What to check before you accept a job offer
- How to explain gaps in your CV
- How to find jobs through the people you know
- How to move into a new field
- How to do well in your first weeks at a new job