Add value of first-hand experience

Sarvesh Agarwal

Kirat Pal Singh, an engineering graduate from Delhi's MSIT College who did an internship with an NGO, CanKids…KidsCan and worked as an HR and a member of Parent Support Group. He realised that he was more interested in pursuing a career which involved people skills than a coding job with an MNC. He applied to a start-up and did an internship as a Business Apprentice intern and a year later, was heading various projects there! If you are a graduate and your interest lies in a different field, take a step forward and do an internship.

Let me break a myth for you today - Internships are not just for engineering students and are not just for college going grads!

If you have a passion, an internship in your field of choice will set your career in motion and if you are confused about making a career in a specific field, an internship can help you find the right one.

The question is - how can an internship help you? In an internship, you work with a company for a short duration and are involved in various projects and learn things from basic. By the end of the internship, you have learnt a new skill, adapted to the work environment, exposed to culture and have created a professional network.

Let us take a look at internships in various streams:

Commerce If you love numbers and excel at analysing data, opt for internships in finance, accounts, and analytics. Interpret and collate data and work on accounting software and Tally. If you are wondering who is looking for Commerce interns, your answer is - Banks, MNCs, CA and Law firms, Start-ups (surprised?) and established companies. 

Science & Research If you have been a science enthusiast or if you are trying to polish your CV for a higher degree in research, I would recommend you to not just study the theory and experiment at the college laboratory but to do that internship which will help you learn more. Universities across the world like Stanford, University of Berkley, IITs, IISc, Research and Training organisations seek interns from the science background to work on various projects and experiments.  

Engineering Manufacturing sector, FMCGs, and Research organisations hire interns from core engineering background. If you are looking to implement the classroom knowledge, opt for an internship and you would learn not just about a technology or method but the mechanisms involved in building a product. If you are from computer science background or your interest lies in coding and developing, there are plenty of opportunities available due to the start-up revolution. Start-ups are hiring interns for different verticals and you could be a part of the core team.

Management If Sales and Marketing is something which has always interested you, why shy away from the role of a business or marketing intern? If you love to interact with people, don the hat of an HR.  Management has various segments like Marketing, Sales, Human Resources, Operations, and you can join an MNC as an intern and add value to your CV or work with a start-up and gain immense experience working on different projects.

Content Writing and Social Media Marketing This new segment is getting popular among graduates from different backgrounds. The skills required for these two fields are-  a knack for writing, love for reading, and eye for details. If you have a creative bent and can make others buy a product with a click, this is the field for you. Digital Marketing interns are in high demand with start-ups and MNCs alike as Indian population is moving online.

If you are interested in working for a social cause, you can intern with an NGO or if you love to doodle all day long, intern as a Graphic Designer or UX/UI Designer. If you want to take an offbeat path, you can opt for internships as a Film Maker, Radio Jockey, Travel and Tourism Manager, Fashion Designer, Game Developer, Journalist or a Videographer. 

Why wait for the college degree when you can start exploring opportunities through internships (which btw comes with PPOs and Stipends!).

— The writer is an IIT Madras alumnus and Founder and CEO of Internshala (www.internshala.com/internships)