If you’re entering the workforce as a graduate, you’ve probably heard some horror stories about how intense the competition is for such jobs. Even if you have the required qualifications and top marks in all your university courses, it can still be an uphill battle. Commerce-related fields in particular are very popular and face a lot of job competition. A great way of differentiating yourself as a candidate would be through HR internships, which possess many great benefits and can open you up to all types of graduate positions. So, if you’re looking into commerce or business-related fields, here are several ways that HR internships could help you become a desirable job candidate.
Hone your soft skills
It’s all well and good to have the academic marks when applying for jobs. The only problem is that your marks are only going to get you so far when applying for a job. In fact, more managers value a candidate’s soft skills, which are things you can’t strictly learn in a university degree or a training program. They want to how you interact with your work colleagues and clients to see if you have strong communication skills and an ability to react in an engaging way with others. Indeed, these ‘soft skills’ can be developed through HR internships, which require you to engage with people regarding the training, development and maintenance of their employment contract.
Enhance your CV
How do you build the perfect resume? Your CV will look really great if you have strong, consistent academic marks. However, what is going to mean a whole lot more is any relevant work experience. Having some HR internships to complement your marks will go a long way in helping you score a great job. On top of this, casual, short-term work demonstrates to any prospective recruiters that you have the required skills to work well and efficiently in an office. Put simply, it means that you can adjust quickly and hit the ground running when you start working.
Practical work experience
Working in a variety of HR internships will provide you with invaluable work experience. Many recruiters are reluctant to hire someone without any experience purely because they are unsure of their reliability, work ethic or whether they want to take on the financial risk of training someone new from scratch. As a result, by being proactive and getting involved in HR internships, you are giving yourself the best opportunity to demonstrate to potential hirers that you can be a long-term investment for their company.
Enrich your network
Whilst HR internships are only a temporary form of employment, their effects and benefits can be long-term. Firstly, you can be offered a permanent role after your casual position has concluded, which could lead to other great possibilities. Alternatively, even if you are not offered a permanent role, you are still equipped with valuable skills in your field and, more importantly, have likely developed strong connections with people in the field. Having these connections can be incredibly valuable when it comes time for graduate hiring season. Impressing the right people might land you a better job at another company or department. So, put yourself out there and network – you never know who you might impress.
Flexibility
Finally, HR internships can also be a great way to get experience or paid work if you can’t work conventional full-time hours. If you are studying at university, provide for a family or are working multiple jobs, a full-time commitment is simply not possible. If this resonates with you, finding some paid casual work could be a great way for you to make money, gain experience and build your working network; all during times that are flexible for you.