INTERNSHIPS FOR BBA STUDENTS: THE CRITICAL ROLE THEY PLAY!

Taking up a graduation course may be a tough decision but what is tougher is to choose the course that offers holistic development. At the tender age when students enrol for an undergraduate course, enriching them with an experience that truly adds to their personality and expands their career scope is paramount. Bachelors of Business Administration is a course that covers different aspects of a business, ensuring that a graduate is ready for the corporate world, whether as an employee or an entrepreneur.�Apart from having a course curriculum that is defined to introduce students to business models, strategy building, growth possibilities, crisis management and more, the one thing that can set a college apart is whether they offer internships for BBA students or not.�

Now you may wonder -�How can a BBA internship experience be as important as the academics?

Simply put, everything you learn in your BBA course (which we will discuss below) requires real life implementation and practise. If you thought scoring high in organisational behaviour means that you know how to work in an actual office environment, you may want to think again. 

There are many different theories and skillsets that a college will try to inculcate in you. How much of it you have truly grasped will show in your actions at work. 

What are these subjects / skills?

The three year Bachelors of Business Administration course includes the following subjects:

• Marketing
• Business Analytics
• Administration
• Finance
• Accounting
• Statistics
• Human Resource Management
• Decision Making and Leadership
• Effective Communication
• Direct and Indirect Taxes
• Business Management

and more. Each of these subjects plays an important role in the smooth functioning of any business. While the first step to a successful business is having an idea that solves a problem, the second step is to know how to execute that idea well. 

How does an internship help this process?

An internship allows you to get a taste of the business world, sample the skills you have learnt about and discover your strengths and weaknesses. It also helps you understand the correlation of different processes with each other and teaches you how to navigate them. Some of the benefits of doing an internship during the BBA program are:

• APPLIED LEARNING

While classroom situations are a great precursor, dynamic office scenarios offer the opportunity to apply the learning and see the impact it has. For example, making a social media plan on paper is very different from discussing it with a team of people who understand social media, improving it, finding a strategy to implement, executing it and finally, seeing the impact it has on your target audience. 

• FINDING YOUR NICHE

One of the main reasons internships are necessary is that most of the time, students do not know what kind of a role they are looking for. It is one thing to decide upon which role you think will fit you perfectly within the four walls of the classroom and quite another to work in that role and like it. Internships are like a trial period, allowing you to sample different options and make an informed decision. 

• WORK EXPERIENCE

Most organisations in today�s time have shared that they would pick a candidate with some work experience over another that doesn�t have any. This is simply because it lends credibility, allows employers to do a background check, get references on your working style, and assess whether you are the right fit for that organisation. 

• MORE OPPORTUNITIES

An internship is also a great networking opportunity because you work on a daily basis with different professionals who have knowledge, expertise and experience in their field. This can open multiple doors for you at the time of graduation, should you do a job job. Having more opportunities widens your horizons in terms of location, companies, roles, pay scale and much more. 

The types of internship for BBA students are mostly in four categories - Marketing, Human Resource Management, Finance and Logistics. Depending on your interest areas, you can choose to take up an internship in any of the four. If you are confused between two options, we would advise you to do one internship in each and understand the nitty-gritties of the job.�

Now that you know that an internship is a huge value addition, you may wonder how to get great internship opportunities. There are many simple ways that will help you, some of them being:

• Talk to your professors: They know the industry and they know your personality. They can help guide you in the right direction
• Talk to alumni: They are working on-ground and will know which companies are looking out. Secondly, they will also be able to put in a good word
• Reach out to family, friends and fellow students: The more people that know you are searching, the better chance of you tapping into their networks
• Sign up on an internship directory: The digital world has made it much easier to connect with employers, use the internet to get the internship of your choice

Reputed institutions like Symbiosis College of Management Studies (SCMS), NOIDA have a dedicated internship and placement cell that is in regular touch with multiple companies nationally and internationally. Their strong network and relationship with these firms is a strong resource that is utilised by students. 

While getting an internship is the first step, you must know how to make a good impression during your tenure as an intern. Let�s go over some tips to complete your internship with flying colours. 

• Come Prepared: An intern who has done their homework before arriving on the first day always stands out. Know the background of the company, what is expected of you, etc. 

• Communicate: with your boss, with your colleagues, etc. A recluse will not learn as much as a good communicator.

• Go the extra mile: When you are asked to complete a task, make sure you deep dive into the requirement and fulfill it with extra research at your end. Don�t look at it as a task but an opportunity for growth. 

• Ask for Work: Remember why you are there - to work. Having free time on hand may be exciting but will not reflect interest. Ask for work when you are done with yours. 

• Own the job at hand: Many interns don�t take their work seriously simply because they don�t consider it crucial but what differentiates a good intern from an average one is the quality to own the task and complete it seriously and dedicatedly. 

Apart from these simple tips, there are many other ways to let an internship be a huge growth opportunity for you. All you have got to do is make sure you are fully present and active. 

As part of a BBA program, you can trust us that this will be one of the most enriching experiences and can truly be the reason you get a better job, better pay-scale, better designation, etc. So don�t let this chance pass!