Let’s face it, you will hardly find a few schools or colleges in India or elsewhere that focus on practical knowledge, or have subjects that offer industry learning. There is often a huge gap between what we are taught in textbooks and how that knowledge is applied in real-time in the actual world, the reason people find it difficult to transition from college to the professional world and secure well-paying jobs. The one question that must be bothering you by now is how do you learn practical skills if they are not taught in classrooms.
Well, the answer that you are looking for is internships. They bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical skills. Through internships, you can get the hang of how organizations function, what type of work you will have to entail during your job, how you can communicate with others and present yourself in a professional setup, and many more important things. In simple words, internships give you an insight into the professional world. Most importantly, the work that you do during your internships can help you land your dream job by boosting your resume.
Earlier, with in-office internships, it was difficult to add enough work experience or practical skills to your resume. However, since the pandemic, virtual internships have become the new norm. You can gain professional work experience while working at home.
How to Leverage Virtual Internships to Boost Your Resume!
1. Communication Skills
Sooner or later, you will realize that no other skill matters as much in a professional setup as excellent communication skills. They are non-negotiable. Virtual internships are the best way to polish your communication skills. You can highlight your communication skills on the resume by providing examples. For instance, if your work entailed conducting surveys, reaching out to people to generate sales leads, or pushing emails for marketing campaigns, they demonstrate written and verbal communication skills and can enhance your resume.
2. Work Experience
Gone are the days when it was mandatory to attend the office for an internship. The concept of virtual internships has made it easier for people to acquire practical skills at home without any interference, especially if they are a student. Offline internships can be difficult to manage with class/college schedules, exam dates, and travel constraints. Virtual internships are a boon in this case. You can gain real-time working experience at home without a significant gap. You can also work with foreign organizations virtually and add the internship experience. This helps boost your resume. If you want to gain valuable work experience, you can also try the Mindler Immrse Virtual Internship Program (VIP).
Recommended Read: Get to Know Everything About Mindler Immrse
3. Time Management
A lot of students prefer to do virtual internships along with their studies. This gives away an idea to the recruiters that you manage your time well by creating a balance between your studies and internship. A good number of virtual internships on your resume with excellent grades in college or school make you an ideal candidate for a job. It shows that you can manage your time well and have both theoretical and practical knowledge.
4. Reliability
One of the most vital interpersonal qualities that people look for in candidates is whether they are reliable to get the job done in time. Since a lot of companies are permanently transitioning to the work-from-home setup, this quality has gained more emphasis. Having a good number of virtual internships on your resume helps recruiters believe that they can rely on you to get the job done without constant supervision. It is beneficial for your candidature and boosts your resume.
5. Gain In-Depth Knowledge in a Particular Field
What happens if you get a job after graduation and a few months later you realize that you aren’t interested in that particular field? Not keeping you in the dark, let us tell you that it is difficult to switch industries once you become a professional. Doing virtual internships is the best way to avoid hassle at a later stage. You can do multiple virtual internships in a year in various fields and explore career opportunities.
Once you find the right career path for yourself, you can do long-term virtual internships and apply for sector-specific jobs. It helps you master certain skills and gain in-depth knowledge of that industry. This helps boost your resume.
Recommended Read: Exploring Multiple Careers to Understand the One for You
6. Attain a Diverse Skill Set
Not only do virtual internships allow you the feasibility of working in different domains and figuring out the best one for you but also help you gain vast experience and acquire a diverse skill set. You can add those skills to boost your resume. It will give you an advantage over other candidates.
7. Build a Network
No matter what career you choose, building a professional network is always crucial. Connecting with the right people in the industry can open up a plethora of opportunities for you. Virtual internships are the stepping stone to building a professional network. The more internships you do, the more you connect with people and expand your network. You can nurture your professional relationships and add industry leaders as references which helps boost your resume.
How to Add Virtual Internships to Your Resume?
Virtual internships are almost the same as in-office internships. As far as your resume is concerned, the difference between the two internships doesn’t matter much. You can simply add your virtual internship experiences in your resume like you must have added in-office internship experiences. Here is how you can boost your resume.
- Add the name of the company and the location where you have done your internship in your resume.
- Next to it, you need to add the period of your internship. You can add it in the form of weeks. For example, 6 weeks or 12 weeks. Another way to do it is to write down the starting and ending dates of your tenure.
- Below the name of the organization, you need to add your experience in bullet form. Be as crisp as possible.
- If you have too many in-office internships on your resume, you can add ‘virtual internship’ in brackets next to the name of the organization. However, it isn’t necessary.
Conclusion
Virtual internships have made it a lot easier for people to acquire practical skills and boost their resumes without having to step outside their homes. In case you are still concerned about your career and are looking for guidance, Mindler is here to assist you.
We offer excellent career counseling services to students from class VIII to college, to help them figure out the right career path based on their interests.
We provide a plethora of well-researched career choices across various streams through thorough stream assessment and analysis of the students.
Take the Virtual Internship Program (VIP) with Mindler today, to find the right career for you.