Best Kept Secrets: What To do When You Can’t Find An Internship in Kenya Posted on August 19, 2014 at 2:57 pm By Florence Mukunya, Internships are a very important career step as they offer one the much needed job experience. In simpler terms, they give you an edge over other job seekers since most employers in Kenya are looking for people who have had a taste of the work environment. But what can you do if you find yourself in a position where you do not get an internship and time seems to be running out on you? Yvonne Abade, HR Officer Lutheran World Federation Dadaab, feels that many people are missing internships because maybe companies do not have enough funding as it’s recommended that interns be given some little payment. This makes internship opportunities limited for the large group of interns looking for placement. But being a recent graduate, is there something you are probably doing wrong which make you miss these internships? Ms Abade advices that, “The job market is flooded with people with relevant expertise and the opportunity only goes to those who catch the employer’s attention maybe because they possess a very special skill.” The candidate looking for internships could also be applying for the wrong positions thus they keep missing the opportunities. “I have lately seen a lot of people apply for internships because they have missed job opportunities which is not advisable because internships are ideally for people who have just cleared school or are still in school,” says Ms Abade What can someone do in the mean time if they can’t find an internship? Ms. Abade advises that, “I discourage people on idle sitting as they wait for an internship opportunity. In the mean time, they can do voluntary work which also counts when it comes to experience ,the only down side being that there is no pay,” Ms Abade How about taking ANY kind of internship that comes along even if it’s not related to your career? Ms Abade says that taking any internship is not wrong as it gives you an opportunity to network with people. “You do not have to be specific on the kind of internship you want, if you find one even if it’s not in line with your career, take it. An opportunity might come up in that firm and it will be easier to maneuver,” she advices. She adds that one can even consider going into business to fill the gap as the whole idea is to keep one occupied as they wait for an internship opportunity. When is the best time to start looking for internship? Ms Abade’s advice is, “Follow the instructions on what your institution stipulates, some feel that one must attend an internship while for others it’s not a must. So if it’s a must, make applications when the college expects you to.” “Also applying for an internship earlier before you leave school gives you enough time and even when it takes a little longer than expected, you at least have time to wait ,” quips Ms Abade Finally, Ms Abade says that internships should be taken seriously as they offer one experience and exposure. “I have also seen people grow and some even get absorbed in the firm due to the interaction and the potential they demonstrate while on internship,” she concludes You can still do something significant if you fail to get an internship, do not just sit around.
Posted on: Tue, 19 Aug 2014 13:01:50 +0000
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