MBA summer internships being revoked amid second wave of Covid-19

D2C Admin

0 min read

MBA summer internships being revoked amid second wave of Covid-19

0 min read

The second wave of Covid-19 is taking a toll on the lives of everyone in some way. Some are losing their dear ones; others are having difficulty in making ends meet. The situation is equally challenging for the education community as well. In the midst of all this chaos, a large number of first-year MBA students, yet again find themselves in choppy waters as companies revoke their summer internship offers.

Impact on their career

So the question is - how will these events impact their careers? Firstly, an internship is one of the most crucial elements of an MBA programme. It is something every MBA student looks forward to when they join B-Schools. The 2-month summer internship programme offers a golden opportunity to gain hands-on experience in the area of management. Summer internships are equally important for experienced as well as inexperienced candidates, given companies ask a lot of questions about it during the final placements.

What evoked the revoke?

There might be many reasons why companies are cancelling internships. However, there are two most common reasons for companies resorting to this. Firstly, some roles are not meant to be performed in a work-from-home setup. Thus, the companies who offered roles that are meant to be delivered in WFO mode have no other option but to cancel those offers. WFO roles were offered during the time when the curve had flattened, and no one expected the 2nd wave to be so daunting. The other common reason is the worsening financial position of companies. When the offers were extended, the economy was recovering very fast. However, the 2nd wave has put a brake on things once again. Given this, some companies might cancel the offers in order to reduce the expense burden from the P&L.

On-campus is not equal to off-campus

The summer internship season has started, and some lucky MBA students have already started interning. On the other hand, there are a huge number of students who are still searching for an internship opportunity outside their campus after their offers were revoked. Not having structured resources of a campus placement cell makes the hunt for the perfect role much more difficult. Adding to this is the scarcity of opportunities.

The way out

One would ask - what’s the alternative for the students whose fate seems uncertain as of now. The comfort of being placed through an on-campus drive isn’t something that one should seek. Given the current scenario, building your skills should be the priority. You are still in the nascent phase of your education and what you may think you wanted to intern as should not be a discerning factor while approaching off-campus placements. You may always explore live projects in your preferred domain later. Opportunities and possibilities are endless, all you need is the right attitude to capitalise. Your B-School gives you the aptitude but the attitude is something that has to be homegrown.

Water water everywhere, but where is the drop that you want to drink?

Your hunt for off-campus summer placement can turn out to be fruitful if you are knocking on the right doors. A few good options are LinkedIn, Unstop (formerly Dare2Compete) Internshala, and others. Plenty of opportunities are floated every day on these platforms.

Apart from this, a good way to get alternative internship projects is through your Alumni network. All B-Schools have a strong alumni network that can be leveraged at times like these. Alumni of premier B-Schools are either highly placed or have their own ventures. You can reach out to them and seek either an internship or a live project. They will not only be able to guide you but will also provide you with a rich environment that will help you learn and grow.

Things aren’t looking up right now but that doesn't mean that they won't ever. Have faith in yourself and set out on a mission to acquire as much knowledge and experience as you can. We wish you the best and hope to read headlines about your work someday!