Are Internships Really Worth It?

They are likely to be unpaid, they may even force you to use some of your own money on transportation and miscellaneous expenses, they could be overwhelming especially while being a full-time student, and let’s be honest, many of us would much rather sit by the beach or in front of the TV and use of our free time or summer vacation for low-effort activities instead of this.

Here comes the word: Internships! 

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For some people, an internship is a very strange and foreign concept and they don’t quite comprehend it. Others brush it off as this optional and unnecessary burden that yields no immediate monetary reward. 

So is that it? Are internships simply a way for companies to legitimize free labour, ruin students’ summer vacations and take them away from their all-day-couch-hugging?

Well, there is more to the story…

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Every year, many young job seekers rigorously compete for internships before even graduating.

Bayt.com, the Middle East’s #1 Job Site, wanted to shed light on this topic and reveal some of the benefits of internships by asking more than 9,000 professionals in a poll titled “Internships in the Middle East and North Africa”. Here is what we found out:

Interns are of huge value to the companygiphy.gif 

No, interns aren’t just a punching bag for tedious and cumbersome projects that nobody else wants to take on. The majority (88.2%) of respondents believe that interns are “very useful” to their businesses. 9.2% of respondents believe that interns are “somewhat useful” and only 2.6% said that interns are “not useful”.

Those surveyed said there were several benefits for having an intern. More than seven out of ten (73.6%) said that internships allow them to identify talent for future positions. Other benefits that were discussed include the ability to “quickly fill temporary and seasonal positions” and “providing extra help for small teams or departments.”

More than four out of five (86.9%) respondents claimed that their companies “always have interns”, this was followed by a small number (5.4%) who said they do have interns but “not always”, 3.3% said they don’t have interns but are “planning to start”, and only 4.4% said they are “not interested” in having interns.

Interns are of incredible value to every company that has them. Indeed, they provide quick and easy help when much needed. But they are also bringing in unique and fresh skills and perspectives and are often a source for companies’ future talent needs.

Interns Love their Internships toogiphy.gif

More than seven out of ten professionals (71.5%) said that, while at university, it was required for them to complete an internship or any type of practical training.

You may be thinking, where is the joy in a mandatory activity?

Well, professionals in the Middle East seem to truly understand the value of internships. 56.2% of them said internships helps them “gain hands-on work experience”, 4.6% said it helps them “develop new skills and knowledge”, 4.2% said it helps them “explore their field of interest and career potential”, 1.4% said it helps them “network and build professional connections”, and more than a third (33.6%) said it provides all of these benefits.

On top of that, more than three quarters of respondents (76.2%) agree that internships “increase the job candidate’s chances of getting hired.”

Are all internships created equal?giphy.gif

Just like choosing a job, choosing an internship depends on what matters to you the most. When it comes to what makes an internship more attractive, nearly two thirds of professionals (65.2%) said that the “type of company / field of work” was the main factor, 29.4% said that it depends on the “type of projects and job responsibilities”, and 2.6% said that it depends on the “ability to obtain university credit.”

You may be surprised to hear this but only 2.8% said that compensation was the most attractive factor for an internship. In fact, 79.3% of those surveyed said that they are willing to complete an unpaid internship, compared to only 20.7% who disagreed.

OK, so where do we find internships?giphy.gif

More than eight in ten respondents (84.7%) said that they are able to find many internship opportunities using online job sites.
So leading online job sites, such as Bayt.com, is the answer! 

Today, and on any given day, over 10,000 jobs are available on Bayt.com, nearly 5,000 of which are suitable for young job seekers and fresh graduates. Bayt.com is also launching a new job section that is fully dedicated for students and fresh graduates to help them get an early start on their career planning and job hunting.
If you are looking to secure your first career role, then you should take advantage of the many internships, entry level jobs, as well as the job search tools and information available on Bayt.com. Internships are a great asset to start and grow in your career and should be a priority when it comes to gaining experience and standing out in the competitive job market.

GIF Credit: GIPHY  

Mohannad Aljawamis
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