How to Make the Most of an International Internship

Often, when recruiters have to make a choice between two otherwise equally qualified candidates, the candidate with internship experience with their organization or within their industry stands a higher chance of being extended a job offer. And the value of an internship can be significantly enhanced when one chooses an internship with international exposure.  An international internship, much like traveling, opens people to new cultures, new experiences, and—most importantly—a global perspective. International internships give students an opportunity to understand a company’s overall culture better and gauge for themselves how a truly global organization operates. Interns also learn about how they themselves operate in a multicultural environment.

The Infosys InStep program is uniquely designed to give students from top universities an opportunity to travel to India and work with Infosys for two months. Currently in its 24^th year, the InStep program offers a completely sponsored internship experience where visa, travel, stay, and almost everything else you need to work in a foreign country is taken care of by Infosys. It offers students the opportunity to explore careers in a variety of trending technologies, like cloud computing, AI, Big Data, and cybersecurity, as well as the chance to explore projects that span strategy, marketing, business planning, and more. Besides the opportunity to work with a global company and stand the chance to be offered a full-time role in their respective countries, students get to experience the diverse and vibrant culture of India, where everything—from food to culture to language—changes every 100 miles.

Here are three ways you can maximize the value of your international internship with InStep:

Immerse yourself in the local culture.

We tend to paint broad stereotypes of how people in different countries live and go about their daily lives. An international internship gives you the opportunity to live and work in a different culture, which can be a truly eye-opening experience. Through the InStep program, you’ll get to work with a diverse set of people with their own unique experiences, traditions, and way of life. Infosys has offices in more than 50 countries across the globe. Networking with international teams and understanding their cultures and traditions is an essential part of having a deeper understanding of how global businesses operate.

Experience India.

An international internship is much more than experiencing work in a different country. The InStep program is designed to give you exposure to the vibrant and rich culture of India. From experiencing local festivals to trying out local food to immersing yourself in the rich history and art of India, the program curates experiences to give you a snapshot of everything that is India. For adventurous types, you will have plenty of spare time to explore places like Goa, Jaipur, Delhi, and more. Our ability to balance not only the career aspect of an internship, but also the personal-growth aspects through exposure to culture makes the InStep program one of the most sought-after internship programs.

Build life-long connections.

The InStep program attracts students from over 35 countries every year. Besides being able to work with some of the best minds at Infosys in India, the program offers you avenues to network with people from around the globe. We’ve seen long-lasting friendships being forged during this experience with not only potential future colleagues, but also people from different countries. This kind of exposure is unparalleled. Meeting people with similar interests and exploring a new culture together goes a long way.

Like the late Anthony Bourdain said “If you’re twenty-two, physically fit, hungry to learn and be better, I urge you to travel—as far and as widely as possible. Sleep on floors if you have to. Find out how other people live and eat and cook. Learn from them—wherever you go.”

P.S. – Don’t get alarmed, you won’t be sleeping on any floors during your internship with Infosys. Click the link to learn more about the Infosys InStep program.