When weighing your alternatives, choose between internships at a startup or a huge business sounds simple. You’re not alone; the majority of students choose working for large corporations with lots of staff. Who wouldn’t want the names Google, Procter, or Apple on their résumé, after all?
A startup internship offers many more advantages than you would have imagined, though. When you first begin your career, working in smaller organisations, especially startups, might provide you with greater opportunity for learning and development.
The following are seven great reasons to intern with a startup:
Describe a startup.
The term “startup” covers a wide range of entities, from lone founders with no employees to some of the biggest tech corporations in the world.
However, a startup may be described as a business that:
is still in the early stages of development, such as the seed stage.
less than three founders, largely self-funds, or looks to banks or investors for venture funding.
is primarily concerned with growth
Additionally, startups run a little bit differently than other well-established businesses. Startups aim to introduce novel products to the market. Multinational companies (MNCs), on the other hand, were established with the aim of being entrepreneurial and meeting local need.
Businesses like Grammarly, Airtable, LinkedIn, and many more began as modest businesses that dared to think unconventionally. Virtual Internships is a startup, as is our firm. By 2020, Holon IQ listed us as one of the top 100 edtech startups in Europe.
With that out of the way, let’s look at the top seven factors that influence the decision of thousands of students each year to intern at startups:
Create a spirit of entrepreneurship
The majority of companies are created to do something genuinely disruptive. Because of this, making even a small contribution to the development of an innovative company may be the most rewarding experience of your professional life.
Additionally, when you begin your job search, you’ll notice that many job descriptions and adverts regularly include a preference for candidates with “experience working in a high-growth company environment,” otherwise known as startups.
Businesses value startup interns because they know that when you work closely with the founders on projects (as 70% of our interns do), you develop important entrepreneurial skills like taking calculated risks, exercising critical thought, being optimistic, exhibiting leadership and team management skills, and having the persistence to see things through.
It’s a Genuine Learning Opportunity
Unlike MNCs, startups operate with smaller teams and flat hierarchies. This makes it easy for mentors to provide each intern individual attention and enhance their learning experience.
Additionally, interns at startups work on crucial initiatives from conception through planning and implementation, unlike interns at large firms who frequently perform mundane chores like fetching coffee and data entry (a sad truth).
You can even be given the opportunity to lead or train a team of other interns if you have enough experience or perform well.
Allows you to try on several hats
Startup internships may be the greatest option if you are unclear of which job would be the best match for you. As a member of a small team, you must frequently juggle competing demands of the company. This might entail conducting research, coming up with business concepts, or assisting with the development of a website.
Most companies actively make sure that everyone on the team, including the staff and interns, is informed (something extremely rare in larger organizations).
As a result, working as an intern at a startup will provide you the cross-team experience you need to gain a glimpse at several career options.
Simpler to Advance in the Ranks
According to a CoffeMug.ai poll, 74% of senior professionals would rather work for a startup than a big corporation. The majority of respondents cited pay, growth rate, and the ease of advancing up the corporate ladder as their justifications.
For interns at startups, the same is true. For instance, 70% of our host organisations are startups, and one in four VI interns receives a new opportunity after completing their virtual internship. Therefore, there is a very high likelihood that our interns will be hired on a full-time basis by a high-growth firm.
Establish a Strong Network
Working in a company with fewer workers gives you the time to get to know everyone, which is a huge perk. These connections might develop into a strong professional network that advances your career.
Additionally, if the firm expands and evolves into a major corporation, you will have contacts who can mentor you or help you get better jobs.
Even if the startup you intern for fails, you’ll still have a network of excellent companies to draw from when looking for your next internship or employment after graduation.
Develop Key Soft Skills
In addition to what we just said, working as an intern for a startup is an excellent way to develop your professional abilities and support the expansion of the business.
True, it requires a lot of work: Startups sometimes don’t provide interns with the carefully planned duties that large organisations could. The beauty is that everyone on the team works hard to achieve the same objective.
Most startup workers are also urged to use their imaginations and problem-solving skills in order to deliver the best outcome. Thus, if you put in the time and effort, a startup may assist you in developing key soft and hard skills that will help you secure better full-time positions after graduation.
Improve Your Feedback
Startups make it more simpler to receive timely and relevant feedback from peers and executives than do bigger businesses. This is due to the fact that you’ll collaborate closely with your team and forge closer bonds with your seniors.
Everyone in a small team is aware of your strengths and weaknesses. However, the criticism you get from startups during your internship might help you keep from making the same errors.
When working for a major firm, one team member’s work might not have a big impact on the overall business, but with startups, your job matters. Everyone’s performance matters, and everything you do has a direct impact on the company’s success.
Where Can You Find Internships at Startups?
Thus, the hoopla surrounding startup internships is no longer justified. The main concern right now is how to get an internship with a startup.
Finding an internship that strengthens your employability and adds value to your CV might be challenging due to the fierce competition. Don’t worry; we’ve got you covered.
Through its partnerships with forward-thinking businesses in more than 150 nations, Virtual Internships offers guaranteed remote internships.
The best aspect is that 70% of our virtual interns interact often with CEOs or founders. Additionally, if you do well during your internship, you could possibly be offered a full-time career.
