How to Prepare for an Internship Interview

Interviews are always tricky. You need to strike the right balance between being humble about the opportunity and being confident that you are the right candidate for the job.

There’s a lot you can do to prepare for an interview, but every process is a different process and may require a different preparation.

However, there are some ‘Must Dos” which are common in any interview. Here are some of these:

Be prepared

This is the first of the many baby steps. Research on the company and note the questions that you would like to ask them. If it is an overseas internship that you are applying for, it would be helpful if you research on the country, their culture and business practices, as well.

Dress well and opt for formal wear. A well-groomed look is always a big plus. Customise your resumé and cover letter to the company and profile you are applying for.

Keep copies of your resumé handy along with other documents and certificates that may be required. Do carry a notepad and a pen with you at all times.

Give out good vibes

It is often said, first impressions are the last impressions. Make the most of the chance and appear confident in front of your interviewers. Speak with a firm voice and make sure you maintain eye contact when you shake hands and during conversations.

Wear a smile if it helps you get comfortable and exude a positive appearance.

Be comfortable

 It is alright to take your time to answer the queries put forward to you. You can always ask the interviewer for clarifications before answering them in a hurry. It is all the more awkward going in a wrong direction just because you thought they might mark you down for not having active listening skills.

Also, it is always better to keep the answers smart and crisp rather than starting off with a backstory around it.

Highlight your strengths and achievements

 This is where you get to showcase your substance and wow your interviewers. Your skill sets are what will tilt the scales in your favour. You can give instances of when you had undertaken a leadership position while in college.

You can even emphasise your problem solving and analytical abilities and bring forth your soft skills.

Cite prior work scenarios

If you have prior work or internship experience, then make sure you use it to your advantage. For example, you can cite occasions where you had helped complete a project ahead of schedule or brought down the overall cost.

If you are in the creative field, you can carry work samples or better still, mail their soft copies before the interview so that they can have a look and bring it up during the discussion.

Send a mail post interview

 Once the interview is over and contact details have been exchanged you must make it a point to send a thank you mail. Begin by appreciating the time they spent with you and for giving the opportunity to hear you out.

ou can sign off saying you are looking forward to a positive response from their end and how much you would like to be a part of their team. This will help you come across as a sincere candidate and bring you a step closer to being selected for a valuable internship.

Now that you know how to prepare for an internship interview, go ahead and give your best.

It will surely open new doors for you and help build a network and gather a wealth of experience.

If you like this article, you may also like to read about “How an Internship in Malaysia can Help Your Career“.

Things Every Student Should Know About Interning in Indonesia

Gone are the days when leading countries like the US, UK or Australia were the most preferred regions for a rewarding internship program. Tropical countries like Indonesia have emerged as promising destinations with placements in varied fields from real estate and education to tourism and publishing. If you are planning to intern in the off-beat country of Indonesia, read on to know more.

Top industries in Indonesia

The flourishing tourism industry of Indonesia has given rise to a number of internship options for students around the globe. These tropical islands are rife with employment opportunities in varied fields. Though you can reward yourself with an internship from any industry in this nation, the following are the top fields you can consider for an application.

Business Management

Business Management is one of the leading fields for an internship in Indonesia. Applicants will get hands-on experience on the basics of business administration along with daily lessons on the local Indonesian languages. Internships in this field do not require any prior experience and have guaranteed placement records.

Teaching

Completing an internship in the education industry will be a feather in the cap for all aspiring teachers and educators. The exposure and experience attained can be extremely useful for teaching English in primary and middle schools. The learnings can also be implemented for education in the healthcare sector.

Best locations for internship

There are a plethora of different localities in Indonesia that are feasible for a good internship. However, Jakarta and Bali top the list with the most number of opportunities and internship programs in a multitude of industries and fields.

Bali

The picturesque destination of Bali has put Indonesia on the map and played a huge role in transforming the local tourism industry. Internship programs offered here are mostly in the fields of marketing and logistics with lots of openings for community work and teaching.

Jakarta

Contrary to the scenic nature of these tropical islands, the bustling capital of Jakarta offers a fast-paced city life to job seekers and white-collar professionals. The employment and internship opportunities here are immense with an endless number of placements and rewards.

Benefits of interning in Indonesia

Apart from the multitude of job openings and opportunities for both personal and professional growth, a quintessential internship in Indonesia comes with a package of irresistible benefits and rewards. Few of them are listed below:

  • The internship programs are available in flexible working hours as per the preferences and lifestyle of the applicant. They are often paid internships in competitive salary brackets.
  • The programs are clubbed with medical insurance and retirement plans.
  • They also offer liberal holiday allowance.

Accommodation

Your accommodation and stay at Indonesia solely depend on the type of internship you are applying for and the benefits offered by the company. Most companies offer paying guest accommodation with a local family or opt for independent housing if the program is extensive. Accommodations are usually packed with basic amenities like hot water, bedding and air conditioning, and will mostly be in one of the happening neighborhoods of the city you are placed in.

How to apply

Once you have conducted a thorough survey of all the internship options available, you can apply for it via the corresponding website. Once the application is verified and confirmed, you will have to sit for a Skype interview with the company’s board or recruiters. After a short one-on-one session, the accommodation and visa will get confirmed followed by the confirmation of dates and travel procedures. You can quicken the process by applying for an internship through renowned organizations like AIESEC for the experience of a lifetime.

Global volunteer programs

You can club your internship with rewarding global volunteer programs to take back as much as you can in this land of never-ending possibilities. These volunteer programs will help you experience the new cultures Indonesia has to offer and will push you outside your comfort zone towards self-discovery and growth. AISEC will also identify your efforts by providing you with an International Volunteering Certificate that will help you make an impact on the career passport.

So, what are you waiting for? Log on to AIESEC today and change your future! You can also check out our detailed blogs on the 6 countries which have an easy visa process for Indians and 10 reasons to volunteer to make the right choice.

5 Important Ways an Internship Abroad Could Transform Your Career

The time you spend in college can often be the most important, transformative years of your life. If you put these years to good use, then you graduate with more than just a certificate. You get a wealth of experience and exposure that can be taken along for life. Today, students need more than just a degree to help differentiate themselves from the thousands of eager applicants competing for the same job. An internship abroad could help you achieve just that. Apart from giving you an edge over your competition, an internship abroad can fundamentally change the way you approach life, the workplace and ultimately your career. If you are considering doing an internship abroad, here are five reasons you’re on the right path.

 1. Intercultural Skills

Today, most workplaces include employees, offices and clients spread across the world. To be employable in this scenario, you need to have experience mingling with people of other cultures. When you intern abroad, you’re often in a country where you aren’t fully aware of the language and customs of the locals. To adapt, you need to be flexible, immersing yourself fully in the culture of the country. For an employer, the need for entrepreneurial leadership makes them look for these very same qualities in individuals. Since you learn the language of your host country, this fluency in a foreign language also works in your favour when applying for a job in today’s interconnected world.

2. Gives You an Edge

 If you don’t have any internship experience on your CV, then your chances of landing your dream job are severely diminished. According to a survey by Psychology Today, as many as 82% of managers specifically look for internship experience before they hire someone. The problem, of course, is that most students seek one out while they’re still in college for this exact reason. This means that having an internship experience might not necessarily guarantee you a good job because most other applicants have one too. An internship abroad, on the other hand, is the perfect way to set yourself apart from your competition. When a manager sees that you have interned abroad, it immediately piques their interest. It tells them that you are willing to challenge yourself and that you come with invaluable international exposure. Even more interestingly, studies have shown that students who have interned abroad are offered higher salaries than other applicants.

3. Builds Character

 One of the biggest, intangible ways an internship abroad could benefit you is by making you a better person. Interning abroad pushes you out of your comfort zone. It forces you to leave the easy convenience of being in the same country you have lived in all your life and takes you away from the safety net of your family. When you start living in a new country, you are forced to stand on your own two feet, tackle challenges alone and become independent in the truest sense of the word. These traits also translate to your work ethic because you aren’t afraid to take risks and don’t need anyone’s supervision to work to your full potential. An internship in a new country also makes you a more flexible, adaptable and an open-minded person. These qualities are immensely important at an office where you have to work with different kinds of people from all walks of life.

4. Forms an International Network

 Arguably, more than your educational qualifications and GPA, it’s your contacts that can actually have the biggest impact on your career. Having a strong network to tap into can help you get your foot in the door of any organisation you want to work for. When this network extends across countries, it can be your most valuable asset. Doing an internship abroad can help you develop a connection with your host employer, along with other employees within the organisation. You can even extend this network beyond your organisation by forming connections outside of work through friends and friends of friends. A vast international network isn’t just an important resource for you; it also makes you a more valuable candidate in the eyes of your future employer.

5. One of the Best Ways to Travel

 If you truly have been bitten by the wanderlust bug, then a weeklong stay at a holiday resort just won’t cut it for you. You can’t really experience a country from a superficial visit to its most famous tourist spots. If you really want to understand a country and its culture, what better way than to live in it for a few months? Interning abroad can help you become a true local within your host country. It lets you explore the place for yourself, form deep friendships with the people living there and understand it better than any travel guide would let you. When you intern in a new country, don’t be surprised if you find a new place you can call home.

If you are excited to do an internship abroad, take your first step by exploring our Global Entrepreneur Program by AISEC. This program will put you in touch with over 120 countries, where you can gain invaluable international exposure and work experience.

 

Help, Mummy, I’m terrified

Pic 2

Recently, I was offered to opportunity to travel to Egypt as a cultural ambassador to promote student exchange between Indian and Egyptian students. As much as travel excites me, the spirit of this adventure was dampened by a host of people asking me why I can’t choose another country  besides Egypt, whether it was the right time to go, whether I would face too much trouble getting there.

Pic 1Egypt has always held a great fascination for me and like all children growing up I pictured a land filled with men in their regal headgear, speaking a strange beautiful tongue with mummies lying around every nook and corner. The country also has such a unique geo-political situation- part of the African continent with primarily Arabic roots and culture while going through phases of democratic and military rule.

Recent events have seen the media portray Egypt as a land of youth revolutionaries and extremist leaders. So it comes as no surprise that young people are apprehensive about making a journey to the country and that’s fair. I too, had to tackle protective parents and sceptical friends as well and I just want to give you a first-hand account of what it’s like here.

Pic 4The capital, Cairo is a great place to live and experience for any young person! As an Indian, there are many similarities here that will remind you of home. The people here are warm and hospitable, eager to guess which country you are from and always grinning when they guess right (It seems the Indian accent is a cult favourite here ;)). You can always catch a glimpse of the glorious Nile, no matter which part of the city you are at. The tourist favourites- the pyramids, mummies and the sphinx live up to all the hype they are given. The architecture is exciting, the culture vibrant and the atmosphere lively! Alexandria is yet another beautiful city located by the Mediterranean Sea that will captivate you. From kind, hospitable people to the city’s Greco-Roman remains, it is breathtakingly beautiful.

There are many misconceptions about Egypt. It is a land shrouded in mystery and the news out there spells doom, violent protests and unstable political conditions. All that is far from the truth and if you can trust the testimony of a 22 year old girl travelling there alone, then be assured, it is perfectly safe.

Things you should know:

  • Girls will not be stared at lecherously all the time. Honestly, it’s so much lesser than what is on our own streets.
  • Egypt has misconceptions about India. Maybe so, but they LOVE India and adore Amitabh Bachchan. I guarantee you; you will have a conversation about Indian cinema at least twice in your time there.
  • Everybody there is not a protestor or a revolutionary or an extremist. That ended a year ago and there is no clear and present danger.
  • The country is affordable and reasonable. The value of the Egyptian pound although more than the rupee, can buy you commodities for the same value as in India.

If you have 6 weeks to go for an international internship and are apprehensive about picking Egypt, don’t be. I have had an amazing experience there and it is worth the journey- to witness ancient civilizations and modern day marvels in one bustling metropolis. I am back with fond memories, great friends and a second home to go back to someday soon.