An IT specialist once shared with CNBC that finding a job 20 years ago was simply a case of a quick telephone call to inquire about vacancies. If only it were so easy now!
Now it takes personal branding skills, an online portfolio, and almost 200+ applications before you land your desired position. Now in 2021, job hunting has become a job in its own right.
For many graduates fresh out of the university experience, the economic climate hasn’t exactly helped in recent years either. In fact, some students have even dropped out of university due to financial concerns.
And those that do graduate, find themselves stuck in careers outside of their chosen field or simply out of necessity.
The solution? Be proactive and get yourself some specific and relevant experience in your dream industry.
How?
Invest in an internship.
Internships offer unique experiences – professional and personal!
Not to mention, an internship will help you to stand out in the endless sea of applicants. According to some research, two-thirds of employers believe that experience is the most important asset when it comes to recruitment.
A Detour Off The Beaten Track
There’s a rather outdated view that students become a directionless compass after graduation. Or that those that choose to embark on a postgraduate degree do so out of a sense of dreadful uncertainty.
While this can be the case for some, on the whole it is simply not the case. The real problem is graduating and realizing that a degree doesn’t automatically secure you a well-paying graduate level role. Few students realize that post-university, they need to continue to develop if they want to be in the running for a handful of roles.
And gaining experience in your chosen field is a great way to do this. In fact, the experience you gather during an internship placement is more valuable than you might first realize. It contains everything your theoretical knowledge trained you for – working with clients, brainstorming solutions and creative answers to challenging questions, and, most of all, networking with like-minded peers.
Compared to internships, the structure of higher education in most parts of the world sets bars on your academic vision and guides you in a single direction. That is, of course, to make a niche academian out of you. But you are not always ready to sacrifice five years for a PhD on a whim.
Where internships truly shine is the versatility they offer. You can be an Economics major who has nurtured a deep interest in programming. Or a Creative Writing student with a passion for book illustration.
Internships are after your passion, not your degree. As long as you display that passion for employers to see, you can break the frames of your diploma (figuratively). And be seen amidst hundreds, sometimes thousands of applicants.
Become More Employable and Healthier in 2021
While internships equip you with better employability, internships can also improve mental and physical health due to social interaction and practical, tangible experience.
An internship serves you social interaction on a silver platter. Even if it’s an online placement, your new responsibilities like being on time, exchanging tips on well-being, and facing a brand new online infrastructure will definitely drive you out of any creative rut.
And you’ll meet plenty of new people. Networking plays a huge part in internships. You’ll grow your list of contacts and will undoubtedly make friends, and depending on where you choose to intern – you’ll make international friendships too!
Where to Take Your Talents in 2021
Here comes the difficult decision – choosing to do an internship is one thing but choosing the right country can make all the difference. It’s not just a matter of passion, but also where you want to accommodate it.
A good criteria for filtering your choices looks something like this:
– What country snatches your heart at first sight?
– What are its leading industries?
– What languages are spoken widely?
– Where would you like to live and work?
Check out our suggestions for some great, industry leading countries that may just fit the bill for you! Especially in a post-Covid 2021 world.
Tokyo, Japan
An internship in Tokyo is an internship unlike any other. For those outside of Asia, it can be a culture shock. But, you’ll soon be calmed by the neon lights, sumptuous food and cooperative nature of the people here. For instance Japan is often described as being a place where ‘there are no laws telling you what to do but everyone knows the rules’. The Japanese are considerate and society is collaborative and polite.
Japan is known for industry giants including Sony, Canon, Nikon, Honda, Toyota, Nintendo; the list goes on. But even small-scale businesses display remarkable resilience. In fact, during the recent pandemic, employers kept suspension levels as low as 10%.
As for the best industries to go for, Japan follows the tradition of being a leader in the sciences and fin-tech sectors. Not to mention the programming front that is pushed to new extremes to create responsive UIs for consumer-grade products.
Now it’s just up to you to decide if Japan is your cup of cha (tea).
Sydney, Australia
With a population of over 25 million – half of which inhabit Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne – Australia thrives.
Despite the initial travel restrictions of 2020, Oz welcomed over 6 million visitors in 2020. And the global economic outlook for Australia’s future looks brighter than those of most other GDP giants.
As always, Australia holds one of the most educated, multilingual and multicultural workforces globally. Which is a testament for the quality and excellence of its sectors. And makes an internship in Sydney all the more appealing.
While Aussies hold in high esteem their mining and farming industries, more urbanised sectors like Media, Finance, and Tourism are dovetailing it in annual gross profits. In fact, these sectors attract $40 billion, $1.2 trillion, and $28 billion respectively.
Bangkok, Thailand
A champion of both employability and healthcare, Thailand is another fantastic place to embark on an internship in 2021. Especially in a post-Covid world.
For instance, a recent NatGeo article highlights how ‘work has been frustrating at times, not because there’ve been many cases but because there’ve been so few.’ If you enjoy food, then the distinctive thai flavours will expand your taste buds. However, it’s not just taste buds that will be expanded in Thailand. People here are friendly, so you’ll make friends and network easily here.
Folks interested in urban development, property and real estate will easily find soil for their future career projects on the peninsula. With Bangkok properties set to become even more vibrant in future years.
Summary
These are only a few of the countries that await you when you decide to take your career prospects to the next level with an internship in 2021.
Beyond Academy can help you to find your dream internship in 14 unique locations across the globe based on your interests and career aspirations. And even if you decide that travelling isn’t for you, why not consider a cost effective remote internship? Our virtual internship will equip you with everything a traditional internship offers and for a fraction of the price.
With the help of our career coaches, industry experts and support teams in each location and online, you’ll have more than one foot needed to kickstart your career! Get in touch with us today to start your career journey for 2021 and beyond!
