Choosing between large organisation and startup internships appears clear-cut. Most students choose big-name, thousands-person firms. Who wouldn’t want Google, Procter, or Apple jobs?
Startup internships provide more rewards than you would think. Smaller firms, especially startups, might provide greater learning and growth chances. You can choose the Virtual Internship from the Virtual Internship program.
Seven reasons to intern at a startup:
Startup:
Startup encompasses sole founders with no staff to some of the world’s largest tech companies.
Startups are companies that:
- Early in business development
- Fewer than three founders and mostly self-funded or seeking venture capital
Growth-focused
Startups behave differently than established businesses. Startups aim to innovate. MNCs are founded to be entrepreneurial and meet local demand.
Grammarly, Airtable, and LinkedIn started as modest businesses that thought differently. Our startup is Virtual Internships. Holon IQ ranked us among Europe’s 100 Edtech Startups in 2020.
Let’s dive into the top seven reasons why students choose startup internships every year.
Entrepreneurship
Most startups aim for disruption. Contributing even a little to an innovative firm may be a career highlight.
As you look for a job, you’ll notice that many job descriptions and ads prefer applicants with “startup experience.”
When you work directly with the founders on projects (as 70% of our interns do), you learn crucial entrepreneurial skills like taking calculated risks, critical thinking, optimism, leadership, team management, and perseverance.
It’s an Education
Startups have flat hierarchies and small teams, unlike MNCs. This allows mentors to personalise each intern’s learning experience.
While interns at large companies often do menial tasks like fetching coffee and data entry, startup interns work on important projects from conception to execution.
If you’re seasoned or do well, you can supervise or coach other interns.
Try on different hats.
Startup internships can help you decide which career to pursue. Small team members constantly work on different business aspects. This may include creating a marketing strategy, researching, or building a website.
Most startups keep employees and interns informed (something extremely rare in larger organizations).
Interning at a startup gives you cross-team exposure to different career paths.
Easy promotion
CoffeMug.ai found 74% of senior professionals prefer startups to large corporations. Most respondents cite salary, growth rate, and easy corporate ladder climbing.
Startup interns are similar. One in four virtual interns is offered a job after their internship, and 70% of our host companies are startups. Our interns have a great chance of landing full-time jobs in high-growth startups.
Network well
In a small startup, you’ll get to know everyone well. These contacts can help launch your career.
As the startup grows, you’ll have mentors and contacts who can help you land better roles.
Even if the startup you intern for fails, you’ll have a network of great employers for future internships and jobs.
Soft skills training
In addition to gaining professional experience, interning for a startup helps the company grow.
Startups lack well-defined intern responsibilities, unlike big companies. Every team member works hard towards the same goal, which is wonderful.
Startup employees are encouraged to be creative and solve problems to produce the best results. A startup can help you work and polish soft and hard skills that will help you land better full-time roles after graduation.
Improve Responses
Startups make it easier to get quick and insightful feedback from peers and leaders. You’ll work closely with your team and seniors.
Small teams know each other’s strengths and weaknesses. Feedback from startups can help you avoid making the same mistakes.
When working for a large company, one team member’s work may not affect the entire company. Everyone’s performance impacts the company’s success.
Where are startup internships?
Startup internships are now legit. How do you land a startup internship?
With growing competition, getting a valuable internship that boosts your employability is tough. We got you!
Virtual Internships connects aspiring interns with innovative companies in 150 countries.
70% of virtual interns work with founders or CEOs. If you do well during your internship, you may land a full-time job.
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