An internship is a chance to obtain work experience in a particular field and put skills and concepts acquired during academic tenure to the test. The skills of the past like having just hard skills, expertise in a specific domain, etc., seems irrelevant in the current employment scenario. Now, in addition to the candidates’ degree or skill sets, organisations are also interested in specific attributes and competencies like technical proficiency, digital skills, time management, teamwork, critical thinking, problem-solving, communication skills, and so on while hiring an intern.
Internships present the candidates with the opportunity to polish their existing skill sets and gain new job-specific skills relevant for the current professional world. The scope of getting an internship and enhancing the skills is also very wide as there are opportunities offered by large corporations, start-ups, SMEs, and non-profit organisations. Through internships, students get the quintessential real-world experience which helps them to develop professional skills and stand out when applying for jobs.
Organisations requiring interns
An internship program gives organisations the chance to start developing the necessary skill sets in potential employees at a very young stage of their careers. Listed below are some points highlighting why organisations look for interns and how aspiring candidates can bag an internship.
Interns can finish project tasks and boost productivity inside the company: Interns have a strong drive to be productive and create excellent work. They are bubbling with energy and fresh ideas, and they desire to contribute meaningfully and keep improving their professional abilities that allow the organisations to be more efficient and innovative.
Internships serve as a base for future employees: The companies offer internships to the students enrolled in their courses in order to make them future-ready for the company and hire them as full-time employees after the completion of the course.
Internship programs are cost-effective: Internships can be very cost-effective for any business. The companies are benefited from the internship programs as it allows them to save costs for their short-term projects by hiring interns rather than full-time employees and vice versa it allows the interns to learn something new through it and gain experience.
Brings a new perspective to the organisation: Interns can introduce businesses with the most recent technology from the classroom as numerous schools and universities provide courses in cutting-edge technologies, including engineering advances and computer programming languages allowing them to present new ideas and vitality to the organisation.
The approach to getting the internship
Do your research: It’s crucial to conduct some industry-specific research before applying for internships. This not only gives students a preview of what an internship might be like, but it also equips them with knowledge and insight for job interviews and writing cover letters.
Build a network: It is important for students to establish beneficial connections when they are looking for internship opportunities. The connections made and the relationships formed can lead to future possibilities, assist students to acquire internships, and act as references on resumes.
Impactful cover letter: Cover letters give hiring managers information about a candidate’s background, skills, and goals. Therefore, writing cover letters can be particularly beneficial while applying for internships because they give a more thorough picture than resumes can. Including a cover letter might occasionally mean the difference between getting the internship or not.
Setting the right tone at the interview: The interview for the internship is both easy and difficult. On one hand, being polite and dressing nicely is the best advice someone can provide. However, since interviews are all about chemistry and interpersonal communication, it is important to remember to thoroughly research about the company and understand the job requirements and responsibilities to ace the interview. Also, to put an emphasis on your enthusiasm towards the internship, make sure to ask relevant questions at the end of the interview.
To conclude
The organisations looking for interns have moved past the singularised skills as it is not beneficial to them. Along with hard skills, companies prefer candidates competent in digital and soft skills which is the demand of the future. Students going for internships get relevant exposure to gain industry experience and learn the skills to face problems when they begin their careers. To aid further in the quest to get internships there are plenty of organisations that help candidates to acquire internship opportunities across various profiles based on their qualifications and skills.
Attributed to – Mr. Sarvesh Agrawal is the Founder and CEO of Internshala, the career-tech platform (internshala.com)
