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International Internships and their Lifelong Benefits

I meet hundreds of candidates per week. Some come with work experience but most of them are fresh out of Hotel Management schools.

There are approximately more than 30000 individuals that graduate every year in the field of hospitality in India. Only those who are able to stand apart from their competition land the best jobs and become successful hoteliers.

An international internship helps you set yourself up for a bright future. I strongly recommend every hospitality student to do at least one international internship before they pursue a career in the Hospitality Industry.

When I recommend our most popular program, J1 internship program in the USA to candidates in person the response I am met with is “It is too expensive”. They treat this expense as a cost but I believe it is an investment and here’s why:

• A lesson in independence: Living and exploring a foreign country, arranging your own transport, housing, and food will make you stronger and self-reliant.
• Making money while learning: Not only do you learn a great deal in an international internship but you are also paid a stipend which is equal to if not more than the amount you invested in going for the internship in the first place.
• Networking: An internship abroad gives you the chance to build an international network of contacts. It gives you the advantage of having friends in different parts of the world which can also be beneficial in helping you secure your future job.
• Polishing your people skills: An international internship allows to develop a deep sense of cultural understanding by giving you the opportunity to work in a multicultural environment.
• Developing your language skills: Interning in a country like America will definitely improve your English language skills but many candidates that we have sent abroad have come back with the basic knowledge and understanding of other international languages as well.
• Advantage of an International Brand: Imagine you intern in Hyatt for a year in the US and then come back to India. If there is an opening in India then you would be the first choice.
• Developing Life Skills: Besides gaining valuable experience in your field you are able to develop additional life skills such as flexibility, time management, critical thinking, confidence, personality and self-grooming skills just to name a few.

Experiencing a cross-border work ethic and environment is truly a unique experience. It is not only about being in another country or meeting new people but primarily focuses on what you learn, how you adapt to new cultures and assimilate knowledge, new cuisines, new social customs, new languages and last but not least, enhances your creativity.

Alijan Rajan, CEO, Vira International