PursueAsia International Internship Program

Singapore’s high standard of living and low unemployment rate help illustrate the high quality working conditions that exist in Singapore. For most foreigners, working in Singapore will not present a major culture shock, and will be a rewarding experience.

English is the dominant language of business, and can be used to communicate throughout all industries as it is an official language of Singapore. Chinese dialects are also widely used, and being bi-lingual can be an advantage. In the Singaporean work culture, punctuality is highly regarded and therefore important. Another quick tip is to avoid intense eye contact with an older person because it is seen as disrespectful.

Social Security

Singapore has a social security system called the Central Provident Fund (CPF), which requires contribution from both employers and employees. Once in the CPF system, residents receive benefits in retirement, healthcare, home ownership, family protection, and asset enhancement. Monthly contributions to the CPF only begin once a foreigner is a permanent resident, and are deposited into three accounts:

·         Ordinary account- savings in this account can be used to buy a home, pay for CPF insurance, make investments and pay for education.

·         Special account- savings reserved for old age, contingency purposes and investment in retirement-related financial products.

·         Medisave account- savings can be used for hospitalisation expenses and approved medical insurances.

The goal of the CPF is to provide you with retirement income to meet your basic needs in old age including housing and medical expenses. If you leave Singapore permanently, with no intention of returning, you can apply to withdraw your savings.

Working Hours, Salaries, and Holidays

Normal office hours in Singapore are Monday to Friday 9:00am to 1:00pm and from 2:00pm to 5:00pm. There is often a half day on Saturday from 9:00am to 1:00pm, but the maximum required work hours per week are 44. Also, residents are not required to work past the legal retirement age of 60.

Salaries in Singapore are amongst the most competitive in Asia. In 2008 the average salary for a software engineer was S$37,122, S$56,058 for an information technology consultant and S$91,784 for a regional sales manager. These figures are as of June 16th, 2008 and are expected to grow by an average of five percent in 2009 and beyond.

Singapore recognizes eleven public holidays and eight major festivals. The public holidays illustrate the religious and cultural diversity throughout Singapore. Among the public holidays are Easter and Christmas Day, as well as National Day and New Year’s Day. Other major religious holidays include Buddhist Vesak Day, Muslim Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha, and Hindu Deepavali. All Chinese, Malay, and Indian festivals are celebrated, and many companies close for the Chinese New Year.

Labour Regulations

Strikes, slow downs, and workers’ protests are very rare in Singapore. Employment contracts in Singapore are considered to be strict, yet the conditions for hiring and firing are flexible. There are, however, legal clauses that regulate employment contracts. In Singapore, a female employee is entitled to four weeks before and eight weeks immediately after the delivery of a child, totalling twelve weeks of maternity leave. Extensions or flexible work hours can be negotiated with the employer but are not required by law.

Source- justlanded

Internship in India will be an incredible experience for the aspirants. India is one of the most multi-lingual, multi-religious and multi-cultural nations in world. The experience will be filled with an intense blend of striking landscapes, historic monuments, rich cuisines, exotic festivals and intoxicating local markets. India, most definitely a country with great opportunities and also a vast, and also an emerging place at global level.

India is a land of diversity which is not only restricted to cultural or religious diversity but one who is aspiring to intern in India will definitely get an exposure in diversified fields. India has its diversity even in the field of profession, it is a land where you get chance to learn with the expert of all the field be medical, finance, entertainment, arts and culture, telecommunication etc.

Aspirants do get immense exposure in all the walk of professional life when interning in India. Internship in a country like India, which is not only culturally rich but also fast growing and developing nation. India is second most populous country in the world with middle class as the maximum. It is a county with a large number of youth as a major constituent of population, which makes India a younger nation.

Internship helps you in growing professionally and when you are exposed to multicultural world, you grow as an individual and into a better and true person. India is not only rich in culture and diversity but also a hub for experts in all fields of different profession. Internship among experts and that too in the land of multicultural like India helps in professional growth as well as in personality.

Another important aspect, which makes internship in India special because of being younger nation with growing economy. The growth rate of economy keeps on changing and growing, internship will be a great learning experience and its great to learn and grow in ever changing economy. An internship in a diversified land like India among experts and be part of developing economy will be a great learning experience for an individual and add multiple dimension to your personality

Internships are becoming a requirement in a lot of job fields and academic programs nowadays in order to move onto entry positions. Whether you’re working in an office or shadowing someone on the job, internships are a great way to gain professional experience and gain a little insight into a field that might interest you. As a rising senior in college, I’ve had 2 internship experiences so far, and here’s my top-ten list of things you’ll learn during and after you complete an internship.

1. How to Work as a Team

Much internship, particularly office ones, can have multiple people working on a project at once. It’s the harsh truth that no one wants to hear: group projects never end. Much like in school, everyone on the team will be assigned different parts to complete to ultimately create a final product, whatever that may be. DO. YOUR. PART. ‘Nuff said. Working with other people at your internship will help you enhance your people and professionalism skills, and when you see the finished project you’ll be able to tell how important it was for everyone to come together and combine their skill sets.

2. Communication Skills

Communication is the key to happy internships. I cannot stress enough how important clear, concise, and quick communication has been in all of my internship and job experiences. Between meetings, emails, instant messaging, note-taking, and documenting, an internship will whip your communication skills into place. A good communication channel ensures that projects get completed on time and and concerns or comments are brought up. It also makes sure that everyone is doing their part and receiving feedback.

3. You’re Going to Make Mistakes

Mistakes will happen, whether they’re minor or major. You might mess up big time. Remember is that everyone, even the big bosses make mistakes sometimes and the most important thing is that you understand what you did, why you did it wrong, and how to do it correctly in the future. Internships are a learning experience and interns tend to get more leeway in mistake-making, but remember to always bring up if you think you may have done something wrong, especially if it could affect the outcome of a project. As always, in case of emergency, don’t cry in front of your boss—this will only make things worse. Which brings us to…

4. How to Take Constructive Criticism

Because you’re going to make mistakes and how to fix them, you’re also liable to receiving constructive criticism about your work. By nature, we don’t like to be criticized. Performance evaluations are scary. Ultimately, remember that your boss is not picking our your flaws for the purpose of beating up your ego. Your boss merely wants the company to operate as smoothly as possible, and telling you how you can do better will improve the quality of your work. Try not to take anything personal and remain calm!

5. There’s a Hierarchy—And You’re at the Bottom

Some internships are amazing, but regardless of the company, interns are still at the bottom of the food chain. You might be asked to do some really tedious work and you might now have much of a voice, but remember that everyone else started just like you did, and promotions take time, dedication, and experience.

6. You’re Still More Important Than You Think

Even if you’re still at the bottom of the career ladder, this doesn’t mean the company doesn’t need you! If you stay with an internship for awhile, you gain networking, mentors, and experience. Some companies may even hire you once you’re out of school because you already know so much about the company policies. When you’re an intern, it can sometimes be easy to get the sense that you don’t really matter. Here’s a real-life example: one time the head boss walked into my office to ask me a question, and while my brain registered that he was speaking, I didn’t even respond because I assumed I wasn’t important enough to be getting asked questions about a major project. (I did snap out of it and apologized for spacing out then answer his question though!) Even if you’re not managing projects yet, interns still play a critical role in getting things done.

7. The 9-5 Life is What You Make of It

Not that all internships are 9-5, but because a large portion of them are, I’ll discuss what you can learn from this. Working 9-5 Monday-Friday can make you feel a little bit like you’ve sold your soul to corporate America, but it doesn’t have to be that way.Set aside some time each morning to do something that’ll relax you before and after work each day (although it’s understandable if you’re like me and not a morning person). Another good tip is to get up and take a walk if you’re ever feeling like you’ve been sitting at a desk too long and start going insane. Last, be sure to make the most of casual Fridays and weekends!

8. How to Look the Part

Leave the jeans and tank tops at home, because it’s time to get professional. What you’ll be wearing every day usually depends on the company dress code policy, but in a professional setting, if you have to question whether or not something is work appropriate it’s probably better to leave it at home. For guys, this might mean a nice shirt (no tank tops) or button up, a tie, and khakis or dress pants. (For really fancy internships, perhaps even a jacket.) For girls, this might mean shirts that do not show your shoulders, skirts that hit below or right above the knee, and in some cases, closed-toe shoes, pantyhose, or blazers. Dress codes are a part of looking the part as a young professional, and dress codes in internships will prepare you to dress well in the real world.

9. How to Write the Part

Professionalism is not limited to dress or in-person interactions. Nowadays, online and email communication plays a large part in most companies. Because of this, you will learn how to interact with others formally and what sort of language is expected of you on the job. For example, a formal email includes an opener addressed to the person or people you are corresponding with. The body text should not contain any “text talk” (e.x. abbreviations, numbers instead of words, lowercase i’s), and should be more formal than conversational in tone. Last, your closer should be short and to the point, and you might even have a professional signature for your work emails that includes your company name and contact information. Aside from business emails, it’s important to remember to address your superiors professionally, even if you are friends outside of work.

10. You Will Move Onto Bigger Things

Internships can be great and you can get really comfortable in the setting that you’re in, but don’t let this distract you from the world of opportunity that’s waiting for you after graduation. Sometimes, you also might find yourself getting a little down about your internship because of that “bottom of the food chain” feeling. This is just the beginning though, so take your newfound professional skills and aim big, and good luck finding and rocking an internship!

Source-theprospect.net

One of the most valuable learning opportunities for an international student is the prospective of an internship. Accounting internships are perfect for students who are looking to get a better understanding of their degree program while also determining if the career field is right for them.

Accounting internships are great for current international students looking to gain some experience in the states. Internships offer students challenging work on real accounting projects like auditing and financial problems. In addition, they can often lead to class credit, a great way for students to knock out a chunk of their necessary credits for graduation. There are several accounting internships all over the country which offer great promotional potential and educational growth. Depending on where a student is studying, international students can take on internships in a number of different companies in a slew of different areas. The internships can be working for an accounting firm, a local CPA, and even large consulting groups if they have local offices and opportunities at accounting summer internships. With so many CPA and accounting firms in large cities, students will surely have the opportunity to find rewarding internship work.

What type of accounting internships is available?

There are numerous accounting internships near top colleges, but knowing exactly how to get these internships can prove to be quite a struggle for international students. Like with any academic field, the first step in finding an internship is to determine what type of internship you want, and in what type of career field. If a student is interested in accounting summer internships with consulting firms, then they would need to search through potential companies in consulting that match well with the student’s interests. Some major accounting internship with consulting groups includes the likes of KPMG, Deloitte and Accenture. These consulting firms work on a number of different projects from auditing to financial reporting for a number of different clients like private companies and government entities.

Where should one look for internships?

While internships are out there, they can be tricky to find. The first and most obvious place to search would be on the company’s website. Accounting firms are always hiring for interns, and they will post these positions on their website. Most companies have this format, in which a student can search for their specific location to see if any internship are open, and then apply to any vacancies they feel they qualify for. This has really becoming the easiest and most effective way for students to get an internship. These internships are competitive though. Chances are, if a student’s is able to search and find an internship online, that several others students searched and applied to the same internship. Another way to find potential accounting internships is to search for a specific field rather than an exact company. By using online job boards like Indeed.com or Monster.com students can search different opportunities by searching for “accounting internships” or “consulting internships”. Many of these job boards collect open vacancies from around the internet, making this one of the most effective ways to search for both jobs and internships for international students.

Getting help from your university

All universities offer some sort of career service department whose sole job is to help students find local internships and careers while enrolled and after graduation. Many of these departments will put on some type of career or internship fair once a semester for students. Internship fairs bring in a number of different employers who are actively seeking interns. Accounting firms often come out in full force to grab smart and excited interns from a specific university. Students have the opportunity to talk directly to employees from different companies and determine if it would be a good fit. At the same time, students can learn a bit about the internship and what exactly their role would be within the company. Likewise, students can inquire about potential career positions following an internship. This is a great tool for international students seeking accounting summer internships. Accounting internships are plentiful for international students. These students should take their time to find a field, a job, or a company that they really would enjoy and learn at when deciding on an accounting internship.

Source- international student

Some interns have done work that can change the world, while others have been locked in the mailroom. Where does the happy medium lie? We'll tell you want to expect and what to avoid in your internship.

We have developed a guide to show you what to expect and what to avoid from your internship.

Elizabeth Tinkler was considering a radio career until her internship at a Boston radio station turned her away from it. She was brought on staff as a "promotions intern," where she thought she would help plan events, concerts, and contests. A semester's worth of Saturdays, thousands of stickers, and one state fair later, Tinkler realized that her true job description meant handing out bumper stickers at local events and gas stations. "Working on a Saturday, watching pigs race at a state fair and handing out bumper stickers was not my idea of career development," says Tinkler, 21.

But what should you expect from an internship? The definition of an internship varies so widely that it's hard to get a baseline for judgment. So we have developed a guide to show you what to expect at the least-and what to avoid-from your internship.

Anticipate some gerbil work Like it or not, you will be the low person on the totem pole. While you shouldn't be handing out bumper stickers all summer, your boss is not going to give you the company's largest account to handle. An internship lies somewhere in between, says Tinkler. "You're going to be spending a lot of time in the mailroom no matter what kind of internship you do." While some interns might disagree with Tinkler, all internships usually involve some gerbil work-whether it's data entry, filing, or scheduling appointments for your boss, it's coming your way.

Real responsibility However, interns should be given real responsibility when the gerbil work is done, says Jay Allen, an intern at Ketchum Public Relations in New York. Allen, who is working for the agency's health care division, works hands-on with two accounts, including a campaign called "Have a Heart" in which celebrities raise awareness of high blood pressure. Allen says he has already gained experience juggling accounts and practicing time management skills, which, he says, has largely come from the hands-on responsibilities he's been given. In an average day, his duties range from pitching stories to journalists to helping with organizing Ketchum events. Nancy Waclawek, who coordinates the internship program for The St. Petersburg Times in Florida, agrees with Allen. "You should, at a bare minimum, be given real work to do," says Waclawek.

Expect to be proactive Tinkler, who now interns at Mullen Public Relations and Smash Advertising, both near Boston, says that she wasn't given real work right away-she had to ask for it. "I'm going up to anyone-whether it's the president of the company or someone else-and saying, 'Give me work to do!'" Her boldness paid off: she's now writing radio scripts and doing other copywriting. And she says she's getting much more out of the experience. Be sure, however, to initially ask your direct supervisor for work. Don't go over too many heads to get an assignment.

Match your personality to it There are plenty of internships out there. Don't settle for one that doesn't match your personality. "I have a few friends who are working for companies that are very stuffy, and they just don't fit in," says Allen. "Think about matching your personality with the environment to find the best fit." Waclawek calls this looking for a "friendly" company-one with a well-organized internship program, a staff ready to train you, and other perks such as assistance in finding a summer apartment.

Gain insight Your first internship may be your first chance to see how your classroom learning applies to the real world. Capitalize on this, says Allen, who is completing his second internship. "An internship is the best way to evaluate what you've learned in school and what you need to learn more of," he says. "If you can walk away with that, it's worth your time." Expect to start evaluating your job prospects, too, says Daisey Harris, coordinator for the internship program at The Boston Globe. Harris says some students who start out reporting for the paper discover they like editing better, and vice versa. Some design interns have switched to photography. And at least one has given up on the newspaper business entirely.

Expect compensation Your internship should compensate you somehow-whether by a paycheck, stipend, housing subsidies, class credit, or other perks, a company should give you more than just its name on your resume in exchange for your work. Brooks recommends finding a paid internship. "Don't take a job unless they're putting money behind it by paying or training you well," Brooks says. "I know I have to get a lot out of our interns because their salaries are coming out of my budget." Look for the green to find the companies that are serious about interns, she says.

Expect to make contacts Interning should at least be a foothold in the industry you work in. To ensure this, make contacts of your coworkers, says Tinkler. Ask questions, find out how they got to where they are, and find out who they know in the industry. It could just land you a job. In addition, Tinkler says, keep your eyes open during the course of your internship. "You'll get to see what other people are doing," she says. "Pay attention, because that's going to be you in a couple of years."

Source- experience

Nine out of 10 foreign workers are satisfied with working in Singapore, a recent governmental survey reports. Being ranked best for numerous criteria from best intellectual property protection laws to the easiest country to do business in, Singapore also receives a bunch of accolades for the overall quality of life, top education standards and efficient medical system, ranking the nation as the healthiest in the world. So, what exactly makes the City of Lions such an impeccable place to start your career or relocate your business? Here are just 12 reasons why you should consider doing it!

1. Singapore ranks second as the most globalized economy in the world

The Global Competitiveness Report 2014 – 2015 named Singapore as the world’s second prospering economy. By defining “competitiveness” as the set of institutions, policies and factors that determine the level of productivity of a country, the report claims to be the most authoritative assessment of the country’s prosperity and well-being. What does that mean for you and me? High wages, low unemployment rate, excellent work conditions and nourishing business development and investment climate.

2. Salaries are extremely lucrative

As the economy is booming, Singapore companies are hungry to acquire overseas specialists, offering top salaries and lucrative benefit packages to attract highly-skilled workers and talents. With a median salary of 3.500$ per month, software engineers can earn up to 72.000$ annually, whereas general practitioners usually receive around 80.000$ per year, according to PayScale. Elementary school teachers earn around 34.000$ per year and working as a waitress part time will bring you around 1100$ per month.

3. Progressive personal tax system

Calculating and paying taxes in Singapore is extremely easy and usually takes around 30 seconds to submit your online tax return. If you already obtained a residence permit, your personal taxes in Singapore range from 0% if you earn less than S$ 22.000 per year to 20% for incomes above S$ 320,000. Non-residents are expected to pay a flat rate of 15% from all income gained in Singapore. In addition, all of your earnings gained overseas and brought to the country are not subjected to any taxes.

4. Getting a work/residence permit is really easy…

With a population of only five million, and dropping fertility rates, Singapore is highly interested in acquiring new residence and labor force to boost the country’s economy to soaring heights. If you already have a job offer secured, applying for a work permit would take only a few clicks on the governmental website and you will know the outcome within just one day. No lines, no paper bureaucracy and no huge list of supportive documents or blankly stated requirements. Their entire procedure is even simpler if you are a business owner wishing to relocate your business to Singapore, or a start-up entrepreneur wishing to develop your company within the island. You are likely to receive your work permit for a longer term, plus the renewal process is fast and simple. Residence permits are usually issued along with your work permit for the same period of time.

5. …And the same with permanent residence status

If you have lived and worked in Singapore for over a year and enjoyed your experience, you can start considering applying for a permanent resident card. Again, the whole process can be done online without much hassle or paperwork involved. Among the factors of a successful outcome, expats name young age (below 50), educational background (degrees obtained in Singaporean universities will earn you extra points), the industry you work in (again extra points to those who are involved in scientific research and working with innovative technologies), and your ability to speak one of the four languages. The processing time does take up to six months.

6. The adaptation process goes easy

As English in the main working language you won’t experience the dreaded language barrier. The local society is an absolute melting pot of Chinese, Malay, Indian and British cultures with 42% of population being foreigners. There is a huge amount of expat communities and meet-ups, restaurants serving awesome foods from all over the world, and imported goods you are used to buying back at home. As expats say, “Singaporeans are generally very comfortable with diversity and have been very welcoming to foreigners” with rare case of racism or religion discrimination occurring. There are numerous international and English schools available, along with pre-school daycare centers, so your kids won’t experience much troubles either when changing environments.

7. Top notch higher education

If at any stage you feel like lacking relevant educational background or certain skills to get a promotion, you should consider getting a degree in one of the six Singapore universities. National University of Singapore currently ranks number one in Asia and 22nd in the world offering degrees in Arts, Law, Medicine, Computer Sciences, Public Policy and nearly any other profession in demand. Tuition fees for undergraduate programs range from S$ 28.600 to S$ 129,200 for medical degrees. However, all students (foreign or resident) can apply for governmental grants and tuition aid, cutting down the costs by 50%, as currently around 20% of government spending go into education. If you are aiming at a top executive position, getting an MBA in Singapore will cost you S$ 58,000 full-time or part-time.

8. It takes three days to open a business

Being ranked #1 for the ease of doing businesses by World Bank consequently for seven (!!!) years, starting your business in Singapore is easy and fast indeed. The whole process is done online and your registration will be deemed completed within a few hours after you pay a registration fee of the S$65. Afterwards, you can either refer for further assistance to ACRA (Accounting and Corporate Regulatory Authority) offering you a huge selection of agencies and providers to handle all your business needs – from business start-up services to preparing all the documents for your annual returns.

9. Singapore is rated #1 as the best labor force in the world

As your business grows and you feel it is time to expand, hiring new professional team won’t be much of a struggle. With expats and work migrants flooding the market, local labors are known for their effectiveness, strong work ethics and superb educational profiles. Filling in top executives and managerial positing will not be a problem either as the share of high-skilled professionals with relevant background rose from 27% in 2003 to 31% in 2013. Moreover, 25% of residents reported to have worked for the same company for 10 years, which means less personnel changes and headhunting.

10. Low crime rates and zero corruption

Currently ranked the 5th least corrupted country in the world, Singapore surpassed a long chain of reforms and law enforcement practices on the road to a bribe-free society. The Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau has kept an eye on matters since 1952 and tries all cases according to strict Singapore laws with long-term jail sentences and huge fines up to S$ 100,000. Same goes towards any sort of crimes–even minor offenses are treated with extreme severity. Think: three months of jail and three hard cane strokes for painting graffiti on a war memorial. When living and working in Singapore you don’t need to worry about your belongings getting stolen, nor your life threatened. Besides, you don’t need to have any sort of “special connections” to do business and get through all the legal and bureaucratic procedures.

11. You can become a millionaire in less than 10 years

According to a recent report issued by Boston Consulting Group, over one half of wealthy Singaporeans accumulated the majority of their wealth in less than 10 years. That’s the quickest growing rate in the world. Now, Singapore boasts one of the highest millionaires’ density in the world with 8.8% of the population having assets over one million US dollars. The phenomenon exists due to the ease of doing businesses in Singapore, advantageous location with easy access to nearby booming markets of India, Indonesia and Malaysia and quick implementation of progressive new technologies

 12. Absolute political stability

Obviously, your business and you as an employee do not exist in a vacuum and are highly dependent on governmental policies and law-making. The Singaporean government is known for conducting open and fair policy towards constantly introducing new laws, tax relieves, and regulations to enhance the countries’ business environment even more. With the People Action’s Party forming the majority in Parliament since 1965, Singapore has a very stable and orderly government indeed.

Source-lifehack

Sponsoring unpaid internships can allow employers to help students hoping to someday enter a specific field of work.

Mentoring and training students through hands-on experience can help them gain the skills necessary to achieve success in their future career endeavours.

Bear in mind, however, that the fact that a student is classified as an intern and is learning while on the job doesn’t automatically mean that a company gets free labor.

Paid or unpaid?

Many employers are under the assumption that an internship program is an inexpensive way to increase productivity. The reality is that the criteria for unpaid internships are quite restrictive.

Giving an unpaid intern duties equivalent to those performed by other employees runs the risk of violating wage and hour laws. If an intern claims that he or she was not paid for doing the work of an employee, an employer may be expected to provide back pay, and could be stuck with expensive legal fees.

Take the test

The U.S. Department of Labor has a six-factor test to help determine when an intern may be unpaid. From the department’s perspective, if all six factors are met, an employment relationship doesn’t exist, which means that minimum wage and overtime provisions do not apply to the intern.

For an intern to be unpaid, all of the following factors must be present:

1.     The training is similar to training the student would find in a vocational school

2.     The training is for the benefit of the student/intern

3.     The training doesn’t replace the work of regular employees

4.     The intern is not entitled to a job at the end of the internship

5.     The intern understands he or she is not entitled to wages for the training

6.     The employer that provides the training not only doesn’t benefit from it, but the training may actually hamper normal business functions

This last factor is often where employers get off track when determining whether an internship program should be paid or unpaid. If the intern is performing work that benefits the company, such as filing paperwork, filling out forms, or answering calls, the intern is an employee and must be paid.

On the other hand, if the company does not directly benefit from the work of the intern (for example, instead of having the intern provide specific work for the organization, the intern’s mentor might take time out of regular operations to teach the different aspects of a business and explain how that knowledge could be applied more globally), then the internship might qualify as unpaid.

Lower the risk

Because unpaid internships are actually rather rare, employers must carefully evaluate the relationships they have with interns based on the aforementioned criteria. They may even want to have an unpaid internship arrangement reviewed by an employment law attorney to be sure there is no employment relationship in place.

Source- bizjournals

Let’s be honest, internships can be a daunting experience. Putting your blood and sweat into work without any expectation of...

Let’s be honest, internships can be a daunting experience. Putting your blood and sweat into work without any expectation of getting paid may seem unsettling. You may start thinking if it’s at all worth it. Hold on to your horses before jumping into any conclusion and passing that life changing opportunity of an internship. Be it paid or unpaid.

Keep reading to give yourself more reasons to take the first step for pursuing your life’s ambition.

Resume Make no mistake, your internship experience is going to boost your resume while you get a taste of the real world. It will set up a platform for you to work in the field of your career choice while giving an insight of enough know-how for you to survive in the job market.

Contacts Internships will greatly shape you to glide into the direction of your career. It will expand your horizons of knowledge, moulding you into a strong candidate for a potential job in the ever-so-competitive job market. Most importantly, it creates great opportunities for making new contacts to feature in your professional network. Utilising your networking skills can even take you to the right people at the right time and even land you a full time, paid job!

The unpaid factor Some businesses, may it be a non-profit organisation or a start up, don’t usually pay their interns for their efforts. The reason is simple- they are not obligated to. They do not necessarily need YOUR services. They probably have plenty of potential candidates vying on that internship notice. It is also likely that the payment does not fit into their budget. So the opportunity cost of turning down the unpaid internship for you, is too high. To be fair, the unpaid factor seems meagre in comparison with the golden ticket to step into the world full of opportunities.

The trial period Internships can be looked at as a “free trial period.” The reason it is free is quite obvious. Organisations actually use internships as a trial period where interns are assessed on different criteria. If you can make the cut, you are welcomed aboard and a permanent member of the team. Freshly out of school, you are lined up with a job for which you are qualified as you are already accustomed to the job environment and shaped perfectly with training.

After getting an insight into the experience of unpaid internship, all the points can be co-related to one very important thing: getting a full time job that pays well. Internships may not amount to hefty pay-cheques even after the hard labour poured into the work. However, the experience gained in the process in your desired work field is priceless. You must remember, there is a competitive job market out there. So all the work experience, network and knowledge you gain will surely be helpful when you are applying for a full time position at your desired organisation. Therefore, keep everything in mind and think twice before letting the golden ticket slip away.

Source-dhakatribune

India is known as incredible India, not for any minor reason there are many reasons which make India incredible. The first and foremost, the diversity of culture and industries both are amazing.Skilled manpower and abundant thinking brain what else is stopping us from taking a job in India?That is the reason India is the first choice to consider applying for an international internship in India.

I have been a learner all my life. I plan my career to be multifaceted. I don't want to be among the same set of people. I want to be global for this reason my first choice for the internship was India. India as a destination is best to explore. The natural beauty, a divine combination of Mountains, Plateaus, coastal regions etc. The climate is superb. People speak different languages but English is one of the prominent languages which is the best part; it makes the communication easier.

Career wise if I consider an internship in India then I am looking at the diverse sectors. India is a developing country. Its economy is growing. With the start-up boast, there are unique ideas floating around. I am able to communicate my ideas. See the action on my planning and my views being considered.

Indian people are friendly and it’s very easy to get adjusted here. People are very hospitable and they are inviting. While visiting my colleague’s families I have been so grateful of their generous nature. They are able to accommodate people and consider them as a part of their families.

Food is good. While India is famous to be a spicy nation but during my internship I was able to explore many food items which were non-spicy and prepared in a natural way. India was a part of many colonies like Portuguese, England, Mughalsetc. so food is different in different parts of India. Knowing my limits, I enjoyed the food journey in India.

India Interns also have a privileges to serve the NGOs which are doing do much for the society. Being a part of them is so much easier and learning is immense. This type of activities while internships develop the personal skills of empathy and selfless work culture in the intern.

India is an economic destination for shopping. It is very amazing to see the food and gift items at an affordable rate. The different ways of marketing the flea markets, farmers market are quite fascinating.

My experience has been great working in metropolitan cities. They are equipped will all modern facilities. Almost all global chains of hotels and eating outlets and here so do not feel away from home. Top five things if I have to mention will be the hospitality of Indians, Immense and diverse market for all job sectors, great tourist destinations, easy to make global contacts and favourable weather are the best takeaways.

Internships help prepare college students and recent graduates for their future careers by allowing them to take what they've learned in the classroom and apply it in real-life situations and environments. Some internship are paid and others aren't, but regardless, both students and companies benefit from the experience, experts say.

"It is vital that a student understands what they are getting into before becoming fully invested in the career path that they choose," said Todd Rothman, an educator and partner/co-founder of wyzprep which prepares students for the Graduate Management Admission Test (commonly called the GMAT). Internships provide the opportunity to work alongside mentors and peers, and gain experience you cannot get in a classroom, he added.

A competitive climate

Just like the job market, the internship climate is extremely competitive, with tons of applicants competing for the same job. Nowhere is that more evident than in California's Silicon Valley, Jeff Selingo, author of "There is Life After College," wrote on LinkedIn. Each summer, thousands of college students descend on the technology mecca to work as interns at a mix of startups and Fortune 100 companies. During those three months, these companies are looking for the best students in their intern pools — as well as those at other firms — and putting a full-court press on them to commit to permanent jobs after they graduate, Selingo said.

Apply the right way

Despite the competitiveness, you shouldn't apply to internships for the sake of having them on your resume.

"First and foremost, make sure you apply for internships that truly interest you," Rothman said. "Internships can be very demanding on a student's time and effort. The more passionate a student is about [their internship], the more they will gain from it."

Rothman noted that it is vital that students understand what they are getting into before becoming fully invested in the career path. Even if the student won't be offered a job at the end of it, it's important to have a direction.

Even if there is no potential for interns to be hired at the end of the internship, they shouldn't rule out that particular opportunity, Loew said. "The networking opportunity alone can be invaluable," he noted. "The best way to know is to evaluate what you really want to do with your life and focus on working and learning about that particular job."

Time spent at these internships is valuable and should be treated as such, Rothman noted. However, it's important to be wary of companies that try to take advantage of young professionals, said Natalya Khaykis, analyst at ZipJob.

"Research the company for reviews, and stick to reputable companies where you can learn and have a shot at employment after the internship," Khaykis said

Getting the internship

Once you've figured out what you want to do, it's important to remember to treat the process — from submitting your resume, to interviewing, to accepting the internship — as you would a real job search.

Applicants can set themselves apart in the interview process. One way to do this is to ask questions that show a deeper interest in the company and the industry. For example, instead of asking, "What will I be doing?" and "Can I get a job out of this?" ask, "What is the company culture like?" or "What opportunities will I have to learn?" Loew suggested.

Rothman noted that before students accept an internship, they should understand the time commitment and the internship objectives.

"You want to be sure that you have the time and ability to fulfill your obligations," Rothman said. "An internship provides an inside look at what [that job] will require before you get accepted. In some sense, it is like having a crystal ball and being able to see what your future career will look like."

"Treat your internship like a real job, and show you're committed and got what it takes to handle any tasks," Khaykis added. "A good intern also puts a lot of emphasis on learning. Find a mentor, ask questions and show you're eager to learn more and get the job done."

Source-businessnewsdaily

Many students will tell you that one of the best parts of going to school in New York City is the accessibility to so many enticing internships right outside your front door. The opportunities are seemingly endless, but regardless of what industry you’re in, your first day on the job can be daunting, and figuring out what to wear can be overwhelming. While every job differs slightly, there are some general rules you can stick to based on the industry in which you are interning.

Fashion

The fashion industry workplace standard can best be summed up in one word: trendy. A general rule of thumb when assembling an outfit is when you think the look is complete, add one more layer. Whether it’s a blazer, a vest or a statement necklace, the third piece will make your ensemble look purposeful and put together. Also, don’t go overboard with your fashion labels and don’t be afraid to take risks — but make sure to keep it appropriate. Lastly, wear comfortable shoes because you will surely be running lots of errands.

Tech Startup

The startup culture is stereotypically laid back, and it’s quite possible you’re working out of the founder’s apartment. Jeans and a t-shirt are more than acceptable; so is flannel. Also, if you’re not wearing Vans or Stan Smith’s, are you really cool enough to be working at a tech startup? But before you go too casual, dress up your jeans on the first day. Guys: pair your jeans with a collared shirt. Girls: wear a semi-dressy blouse or add a blazer over your t-shirt.

Finance/Politics/Business

If you find yourself working for a campaign, business casual is your safest bet. However, if you are interning for the UN, Rothschild’s, or Pearson Hardman, dresses and skirts with a blazer are a must for girls. Heels are not mandatory, but polished flats say “I’m here to talk business.” For guys, a full suit complete with a tie is the standard for office attire.

Museums/Art and Photographer Galleries

New York City is home to some of the world’s finest collections of art. Day-to-day activities can vary but you could be doing anything from filing archives to assisting patrons. The workplace attire is just as varied. Dress business casual but still trendy and don’t be afraid to be creative.

Source-nyunews

We all are aware of the fact that internship is a great opportunity to enter the employment world. Internships provide best opportunities for students to showcase their talents and expertise. They even help the students to become corporate ready.

Career success can depend on internships, why? Due to this very competitive job market. Employers intend to spend less time on grooming candidates. They just want to get into the productivity of the candidates to be visible from the very first day. Many corporates collaborate with universities to provide training to the staff as well as provide internships in various sectors so that they get interns who know about the corporate culture. Soft skills required for teamwork and presentation.

Internships can be in-house or internships abroad. Among these two finding internships abroad has had high weight as it intends to give a candidate an global persona. Best thing is that it gives the best time to explore yourself in a foreign land with unknown people. It brings out the tolerance and flexibility in you.

Students can encash their academic skills by choosing good internship programs where they can find real mentors who can guide them and help them in their career path. Great networking and hands-on project experience are the key takeaways of internship programs. Sometimes graduates have to do a lot of job hunting after graduation. Reasons may vary. Many cannot take the pressure of time-driven project work, work under pressure, cultural differences etc. If the students opt for the internships program while they are studying they have time to adjust themselves with less at stake.

Now we can conclude that off course internships pave a great stepping stone in boosting your career. Best internships can be found by sources like college newsletters, consulting firms, internship providing firms etc. Candidates interested in attempting internships should be well aware of the resources. If you are planning to get an internship opportunity in Asia then Dubai, Singapore, India etc. have great prospects as they have a variety of industries and different cultural heritage where you can develop a lot of cordial and global skills. Students even can see the nations developing in front of them. These places have the large growth graph and emerging markets and huge requirement of skilled manpower. So why to wait; students so ahead and put the foundation with great internship opportunity waiting for you in the world market.

Internships seem to be all the rage these days. For students, it is a great way to take initiative, make contacts and gain experience and for employers they get talent who works for them and sometimes gives them their future employee as well.  International Internship definitely provides you an experience with more exposure and it provide contacts and experience with multinational twist. In our growing international economy, an employer often wants to see you communicating across cultures. Internship abroad takes you out of your comfort zone and certainly makes you ready to face this challenging and competitive world.

International internship in countries like Dubai, Singapore will not only give you a different exposure but they are also one of the most globalised city of the world which is growing rapidly and being part of such economy hones your skills. It is amazing and exciting to be part of a world which keeps on evolving every second. A good internship in these places or any good place will certainly gives the organisation a chance to evaluate yourself and if perform well you can also get hired.

An internship is a win win situation for both employer as well as students. Students get to have a real and hands on experience in the industry where they will be working in future. It is definitely a winning situation for employer as well as they get chance to explore the talent of the interns and can also judge their capabilities and can further decides whom to recruit. Employers get enough time to judge the capabilities of the individuals before hiring and they don’t need to rush in the hiring process. A good internship is not only a learning experience for the students but also a winning situation for employers as well as they get chance to judge their prospective future employees and they have ample amount of time to do that. Internship provides you a platform to learn and explore yourself and know what you can do best and it is also beneficial for employers as they prefer people with good internship experience because that certainly provides them an idea that the individual is aware of work culture. Internship makes you ready for your future career professional and mentally.

Transitions from college to career can be intimidating. Many graduates struggle to identify the right career path in the immensely dense competitive job market. Graduates often get confused when it comes to choose certain jobs in immensely competitive professional world. Internship helps you in figuring out what is best for you and gives you a platform to explore yourself. Internships can help you narrow your professional focus by allowing you to explore different fields and positions. Employers in this competitive world certainly prefer to hire people with good internship experience rather that newbie’s. Internship gives you the idea about the professional workplace as well as also provides you intimidation regarding your future work profile. Successfully completing at least one internship during your college does not give only be an added advantage for your resume but also provide a foundation for your future employer to believe in you. Internship mimics jobs in many ways as it not only provide a learning experience but also gives you hands on experience, a more practical oriented. Internship helps you in exploring things and helps you in judging yourself by giving real experience and by the end of graduation you are much more focused and know what you can do best. A good internship with hands on experience certainly makes you more focused and also helps in removing all doubts when it comes to choose a right job for you. During internship you meet people from all sphere of life which broadens your connections and point of view and you are certainly ready to face the big bad world of professional competition.

An Internship in a good place certainly is not only a learning experience for you but it will eventually helps you to grow as a professional. Internship abroad is also a good option for the students. For e.g. internships in Dubai, Singapore can prove fruitful to the students as these are economy which are growing and moving fast and getting a hands on experience, a more practical one certainly gives you overview of these fast paced economy where employers are in haste to get best talent for their growing firms. A good internship will certainly gives you a much more focused outlook towards your professional life and it definitely diminishes the confusion which usually comes in the mind of individuals once they complete their graduation. A good internship makes your mind focused and you are not clouded with any doubt when you embark your journey in the professional field.

When it comes to doing an internship, it's normal to have a lot of questions, especially if it's the first time you've tackled one. That's why it's good to figure out what you need to know before your first internship so you can make the best and most informed decisions for yourself. Depending on your field, where you are in college (if you are a student at all), and what place you're at in life, your wants and needs in an internship can vary widely from one person to the next. Personally, I think when it comes to internships, it's awesome to hear the experiences and advice from as many different people as you can, but ultimately center yourself on your own needs. At the end of the day, everyone's internship experience is going to be different, especially if you're not in the same field or career path.

Still, there are definitely some things everyone should know before beginning an internship. Heck, there are things people should know simply when applying for internships, much less beginning them. If you're a college student, it's common for your internship to last an entire semester or summer, so it's extra important to make a decision that will work for you in the long term. After all, you don't want to take on an internship commitment and then bail after a few weeks because you don't want to deal with the commute or you can't handle the hours along with your classes or second job. That's why it's so important to go through what you need to know before you make a decision — no one wants to regret a big leap later on, after all.

It's always a good move to talk to other people in your major or in your goal profession to see what they suggest and what worked for them in the past. In general, though, considering the following five factors is a great place to start when you begin looking for your first internship.

1. How Much You Need To Be Paid

Money is always an intensely personal decision, but it's never something to take lightly. Unpaid internships have come under fire in recent years; as Susan Adams explains at Forbes, "Proponents of unpaid internships say the jobs help aspiring professionals get on-site experience and résumé entries that can spur their careers. Detractors insist that unpaid positions exploit workers, take jobs from would be entry-level employees, favor the privileged who can afford to make no money, and perhaps most importantly, break longstanding labor laws." No matter what your financial needs are, it's important that you know what they are before you commit to an internship. If you're able and willing to take an unpaid internship, of course there's nothing wrong with doing so; however, don't feel pressured to take an unpaid internship if you know you simply can't afford to work for free. Also, don't be afraid to clarify pay rate and hours before you commit to an interview or trial session, so you can save yourself and the hiring manager time if you simply can't afford the role.

2. Whether you’ll Earn College Credit Or Not

As Kevin Carey discusses over at the New York Times, it can be tricky to decide whether or not you want to take an internship for college credit. Depending on your school, your department may make it super easy to connect you with local employers looking for interns, and from there, assign you college credit for completing a set number of hours over the course of the semester or summer. The main criticism people have of doing internships for college credit is that this generally means you are paying the school for credit hours while you intern, and depending on where you attend and your financial package is, the cost of those credit hours can be pretty darn steep.

3. What Your Commute Will Look Like

Whether or not you are being paid for your internship, the commute is something you should always take into consideration. First off, the old adage of time being money is often true — and beyond that, commuting can be literal money when you look at the cost of gas or a monthly bus or subway passes.

As Natasha Mascarenhas shares over at The Financial Diet, if you're able to choose an internship where you can commute with a parent or reliable friend, you can totally save money that way. If you are able to walk or bike to your internship, that can be a great way to save money and get some fresh air into your day. Working remotely may even be an option in some cases. Figuring out what you can reasonably commit to doing in terms of travel and transportation will be instrumental in deciding whether to take a particular internship or not.

4. What the Time Commitment Means For Your Other Obligations

When you're doing an internship and you're still in school, it's super important to make sure your internship doesn't conflict with your classes. Don't take on an internship that requires you to come in on certain days if you know you have a lecture that you really can't miss or another obligation you have to make. Even if you don't have classes, though, you might be balancing your internship with other commitments — a second job, time with your family, and so on and so forth. Choosing an internship that works well for your overall life will make the experience more pleasant than if you're constantly stressed and close to burning out; you'll get a lot more out of it in the long run.

5. What You Want To Gain From the Experience

When we talk about work in general, we tend to talk about how to make our employers happy. Of course, making your boss happy is always a good thing, but it's important to remember that you matter in this equation, too, even if you are on the bottom of the ladder in the office.

Internships afford an even greater opportunity to take a position based on what you want to gain from the experience. What do you hope to accomplish? Do you want to learn about a new industry, get experience in an office setting, or develop your leadership skills? Is this internship something that will help you decide which path you want to pursue after college? Whatever your reasons are, it's good to do some self-exploring and know them upfront, and then hold yourself accountable to figuring out those answers as you go.

Source- bustle

“An internship is essentially a three-month interview”, says Stephen M. Rakas, executive director of the Career Opportunities Center at Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School of Business. A half hour interview can be a minefield, so you can well imagine the potential for slip ups over three months – though, of course, one can offset this with the greater potential to show of what you are capable. In this article, career services directors from three top business schools share examples of MBA internship mistakes…and how to avoid them.

Mistake 1: Not knowing the company culture

Failing to understand company culture can cost you the internship, as well as a full-time job offer. Rakas says that it’s “critically important” to understand company culture from the beginning, since, “It’s very likely that people who work closely with you, as well as others who barely know you, will have a say in whether or not you receive a return offer.” If you do your research ahead of time, you will be better equipped to demonstrate that you are a fit.

How can you learn about company culture? You can start by networking. Rakas states that MBA students should network with alumni, as well as people in their extended network who are currently working at the companies they are interested in. “The more people with whom you develop a positive rapport and who can speak positively of you and your contributions, the better.” You should also do your own research and pay attention to details such as how communication is handled.

For more information about how you can use research and networking to learn about company culture, read our MBA internship tips.

Mistake 2: Not having a pre-onboarding meeting before the start of the internship

According to Kristy Posocco, deputy director of the Career Development Office at the Yale School of Management, one common mistake made by MBA interns is not contacting their supervisor in the weeks leading up to their MBA internship. Posocco advises that MBA interns have a pre-onboardingmeeting with their supervisor in order to “ask questions that will expedite their on-boarding and equip them with the knowledge and insight to begin immediately adding value when they hit the ground”. Questions you should ask include:

Have business needs shifted since you spoke during the interview process?

What does a successful end-of-summer deliverable look like?

What do key milestones look like?

What has characterized the most-effective interns in the past?

Mistake 3: Neglecting your networking contacts after you land an internship

Landing an MBA internship doesn’t mean that it’s time to stop networking. According to Beth Briggs, the senior director of NYU Stern’s office of career development, the most common mistake MBA interns make is not building upon the relationships formed with networking contacts during the first year of the MBA program.

Luckily, this is a mistake that can easily be avoided. “Circle back with networking contacts you met in the first year of your MBA program to let them know where you decided to go for your summer internship,” Briggs advises. “At the end of the summer, get back in touch to let them know what you learned and what you are focusing on in your second year. Share any relevant insights that you have gained – and ask them about their summer vacations!” That way, you can continue to nurture the relationships you have built while demonstrating that you are a valuable part of their professional network.

Mistake 4: Not asking for feedback during the first few weeks of your MBA internship

Even if your MBA internship program doesn’t include feedback sessions, you still need to find a way to get input from your supervisor. “It’s incumbent upon the intern to ask for and capture feedback that can be critical to a successful project,” states Posocco. If you don’t ask for feedback you risk being blindsided by negative feedback in your end of summer review for issues you could have fixed had you known about them earlier on.

Posocco advises MBAs to request feedback within the first few weeks of their internships. Interns who want to ensure that they receive feedback from the very beginning can also ask their supervisors to build feedback sessions into meetings.

Mistake 5: Not reflecting upon your MBA internship

MBA internships can be intense, so much so that it’s easy to focus solely on getting the work done. Yet, Posocco says that it’s also important for interns to “create space for learning and growth”, as this is a “key component to a successful internship experience”.

One way to reflect upon what you have learned is to spend 10 minutes a day writing a journal about the work you’ve been doing and how you feel about it. “The thoughts you capture will be helpful in several ways – from helping you refine your post-MBA goals, to helping you craft your résumé bullets and cover letters, to informing your dialogue and interviews with full-time employers as a second year student.”

Mistake 6: Not knowing your company’s social media policy

“Understanding a company’s social media policy, and the appropriate use of personal devices in the workplace, is becoming more of an issue,” states Rakas. In fact, misuse of social media can get you fired from a job before you even start. MTV News’ list of intern social media fails mentions a 2009 incident where a new Cisco hire tweeted about having “to weigh the utility of a fatty paycheck against the daily commute to San Jose and hating the work”. Needless to say, that decision became moot once Cisco saw the tweet and decided to fire the new hire before she even started working there. While that was an extreme case, there are many potential ways that your social media use can reflect negatively upon you or your company, so make sure you check with your employer about social media policies.

Mistake 7: Asking for an offer before the appropriate time

“Being too pushy for feedback on offer status can contribute to an awkward environment, or even impact your odds of getting an offer, depending on the company culture,” states Rakas. In addition, some companies don’t make their hiring decisions until the early fall. That’s why interns should wait until the end of the internship to ask about their chances of being hired full-time. Instead, Rakas says that interns should focus on “going above and beyond in their work assignments and doing their best to show their ‘fit’ with a company.”

Source-topmba.com