Virtual internship opportunities are the new normal

The Covid-19 outbreak and worldwide shutdown made everything uncertain. Though many countries have lifted lockdowns, restrictions are still imposed.

Some educational institutions moved to online classes. Most offices started the work from home culture; some went on a hiring freeze; some feared a recession and laid off employees and cut benefits to keep the company afloat.

Internship programmes and offers have also been called off. As a result, fresh graduates are falling deeper into uncertainty thinking they have lost the rite of passage to their career development.

However, graduates or those in their last semester can apply for online or virtual internships and add proper experiences to their resumes and reap off benefits at the same time.

Many sectors around the world including green technology, graphic designing, software engineering, communication, and management, and even traditional sectors are slowly inclining towards virtual internships.

The best part is that virtual internships help you gain project-based experiences, open up networking opportunities, and get job offers from multinational companies. The work hours are quite flexible too, which helps you stay stress free.  

Here are some insights to help you secure an online internship:

Motivation is the key

There is no need to wait for the pandemic to be over when you can gather valuable work experience in the comfort of your home. Be motivated to do what matters and look for online options. Make sure to remain patient because these things might take some time.

Seek and you shall find

Reach out to your university advisor or counsellor who might help you to assess your skills and look for internship offers. With their guidance, you will also be able to see prospects in the current job market.

Look for internship opportunities that pique your interest and apply to as many companies as possible, which could mean more than 10 or even 20.

Make each and every application unique and relevant to the company and tell them how you can be a good addition to the team. Refrain from exaggerating or fabricating your skills.

Browse job sites daily

For Bangladeshi students, there are a handful of websites that can help them in finding internship offers – LinkedIn, Bdjobs.com, Chakri.com, and Jobsbangladesh.com, to name a few.

There are some international websites as well that offer work from home opportunities such as Intern from Home, Internship.com, ZipRecruiter, and CRCC Asia.

Make sure you keep checking the companies' websites for new internship offers or relevant notices. 

Short-term possibilities

Paid professional assignments, freelance work, and even week-long internships can still add value to your resume and you will surely learn many things from these experiences.   

If your internship got postponed or cancelled, or you somehow ran out of options – reach out to your faculty members, alumni, or family members. Also, observe and ask questions. People understand what university students are going through, all you have to do is ask.

Learn new skills or polish the existing ones

Your internship experience can teach you loads and even if you do not earn much, make sure to learn new skills. The more time you wait out, the higher will be the competition in the job market so maintain a steady momentum.

To ensure your survival, just keep swimming.

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Lucrative internship offers:

Banglalink

Banglalink Digital Communications Limited is offering a virtual internship programme for its Human Resources and Administration department.

Final year students from any background can apply for this internship. Interns will receive e-certificates after completing this 8-weeks long programme.

Check out Banglalink Careers page on Facebook for details.

Shwapno

Shwapno is currently offering virtual internships for its e-commerce department. Students who have completed all credits except internship can apply.

Students from CSE background will be preferred and Shwapno is offering Tk5,000 as remuneration. If you are interested, you can send your resume to [email protected].

Josh Talks

Indian media company Josh Talks is offering 3-4 months-long remote internships for Bangladeshi students at its Strategy and Growth, International Expansion department.

This position is a strategy and growth led role with an aim to help Josh Talks successfully expand in different counties. Interested individuals can apply here - https://bit.ly/3dIkjwA.