Most people think there’s only one way to gain experience after you graduate college: Get a full-time, permanent job from a reputable company.
That’s false! After college, I really didn’t know exactly what I wanted to do, but I knew where I wanted to go. I sought my sights on working in Tech, but I’d never had a Tech internship or even been surrounded by Tech. All of my experience had been in media, including my major. So, instead of applying for full-time jobs in Tech, that I might have been looked over for, I went after “Tech Internships.” Most people also don’t know that recent grads can also snag an internship and work a full-time job after they graduate.
And guess what? That’s what I did! I landed an internship at Uber and had wayyyy more benefits than I would have had if I went for a permanent full-time role at a company in my industry (media & entertainment). This internship set me up quite nicely. I stayed with the company for about 4 months. After finishing my internship, I went on to do another post-grad program, at Warner Bros Discovery (formerly Turner Broadcasting). I was quickly converted to a full-time permanent employee after 11 months in that program. I went on to stay with the company and my team for about ~4.5 years!
And that’s how I kicked off my post-grad career, and you can do this too!
One thing I learned by going this route, was not to think small because there are so many opportunities out there that are bigger than what we imagine. It’s not widely known that there are alternatives to what people consider a traditional entry-level, full-time role and most don’t require any work experience (*but they do usually require a college degree).
These alternative programs, like the ones that I did, will be labeled as post-grad internships, rotational programs, apprenticeship programs, trainee programs, leadership development programs, and early career development programs.
Why You Should Pursue Post-Grad Programs:
- Most companies treat these programs like full-time, 40-hour/week jobs. So you get a feel for what it would be like to work in a corporate setting.
- They’re flexible! You know exactly when you start, and when your program ends. If you don’t like it, you can move on to something else. But it’s not a wasted experience either, because you get experience + a “major brand name” on your resume!
- They usually are strictly for recent grads (You can’t be out of school for more than 2 yrs or have more than 2 years of post-college work experience.)
- The competition isn’t as tough as it might be for a regular full-time entry-level role, especially if you seek out a smaller company.
- Some post-grad programs offer a competitive salary and benefits (which was true in my case!).
- You get to try before you commit to a full-time, permanent role with the company or team.
- These programs can be as short as a couple of months and go all the way up to a couple of YEARS, with the potential to convert to a full-time permanent role.
Things To Consider Before Applying to Post-Grad Programs:
🧐 The industry matters (some industries pay higher)
🧐 The type of role you work matters (much like a traditional full-time job, some skills are considered to be “higher skilled” and will pay more)
🧐 The location matters (i.e. NY or LA will be way more expensive than a smaller market)
🧐 Your lifestyle matters
20 Post-Grad Programs You Should Consider in the Media, Tech, & Consumer Goods Industries:
𝗛𝗲𝗿𝗲’𝘀 𝗮 𝗻𝗼𝗻-𝗲𝘅𝗵𝗮𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝘀𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗽𝗿𝗼𝗴𝗿𝗮𝗺𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗮𝗻 𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗼 𝗮 𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗱𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝗮𝗹 𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗿𝘆-𝗹𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹 𝗷𝗼𝗯:
𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, 𝗘𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗻𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 & 𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗮
• Cox Communications LEAD Early-Career Rotational Program
• ESPN , Productions Operations Associate Program
• HubSpot , Leadership Rotational Program (marketing leadership)
• NBCUniversal, Early Career & Leadership Programs (this includes the popular PAGE program!)
• Simon & Schuster Associates Program
• Warner Bros. Discovery, Trainee & Apprenticeship Programs (Which I personally did, ask me about it!)
𝗖𝗼𝗻𝘀𝘂𝗺𝗲𝗿 𝗣𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝘁𝘀
• adidas, APAC trainee program
• ALDI USA , District Manager Careers
• American Airlines, IT Development Program (ADEPT)
• Gap, Rotational Leadership Programs
• GEICO Leadership Programs
• Johnson & Johnson, Leadership Development Programs
• The Kraft Heinz Company, Management Trainees
𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵
• AT&T, Development Programs
• Boeing, Business Career Foundation Program
• Caterpillar Inc., Development Programs
• DuPont, Management Leadership Development Program
• Google, Product Management, Cloud Technical Residency, CSSI
• Intel Corporation, Rotation Programs
• Intuit, Rotational Development Programs
Didn’t see the industry you were looking for? Don’t worry, you can check out here and here for even more post-grad internships & early career development programs! These extended lists also include programs in industries like Finance, Healthcare, & Science, Government Affairs, Retail, and Insurance.
What’s Next?
You applied for the role, now it’s time to prepare for your interview! Check out the resources below!
Paid Pre-Interview Assignments: Should I Do Them Or Not?
