What to Do if You Can’t Find a Good Internship?

Securing a good internship is a difficult task if you don’t have good connections in the corporate world or government ministries. Many students from middle and low-income backgrounds suffer on this front. Don’t belittle yourself if you are not able to get an internship. You still have three options which are better alternatives for a bad internship or doing nothing at all.

1. A proper course: No matter who says what, a good course is of immense value. You can pick one from Coursera, Udemy, Edx, or UpGrad, etc. Leading global institutes have their own portals where they offer courses that are taught by their faculty. Don’t choose a course on the basis of the course fee or duration. Instead of selecting randomly, give yourself some time to think and research whether it will fit with your short-term and long-term career goals. Have a critical look at the instructor and the reviews before finalizing one. If you have sufficient time, you must further complete advanced modules/levels as an introductory course serves little purpose.

2. Volunteer at NGO: Volunteering at an NGO full-time is a better utilization of your time too. Typically, you should select those NGOs which are old, have a certain scale, and have accomplished some milestones. For example, Goonj founded by Anshu Gupta is one such formidable NGO. This ensures that you’ll get a more diverse experience. You can simply write a mail to an NGO expressing your intent for a full-time volunteership. You can also give them a hint on your preferable roles or interest areas. Mail addresses can be easily found on the websites of the respective NGOs.

3. Gig Work or Freelancing: Team Lease Services, Gig India, Fiverr, etc, are a few platforms through which you can get employed as a gig worker. It is slightly tough to get good projects without any previous experience. In this regard, your college name, recent grades, and a sample of your work can help you make a strong point. Don’t hesitate to put forward a request for a letter of confirmation or certificate from your employer during the selection process. This will work as tangible proof of your stint.

These three options may not sound very appealing when compared to an internship at a reputed company. Nevertheless, they are better than doing nothing at all or chasing bad internships, say getting app downloads. These can also increase your chances of scoring your dream internship in the future.