What happens when your kid graduates from college and wants to apply to a multinational company? A coveted employer might take one look at their CV and be shocked at such ‘experience’ as downloading music or working part-time at the local burger place.
The best solution to make your kid more marketable to companies is to have them apply for internships. The concept of internships is slowly gaining ground in the business world of the Middle East, although many graduates remain oblivious to the whole idea or are even scornful of it. Such businesspeople-to-be are looking for a quick fix, like becoming ‘instant manager’ and earning a hefty salary from day one. Be informed, however, that this is the fastest road to disillusionment and job loss, as the bigger bosses gladly take turns in cutting these people down to size. And contrary to what you may think, internships are an outstanding way to gain hands-on experience, better understand future job positions and build a network of contacts.
The psychology of graduates must be tempered before they embark on their career, as many are too excited and over-ambitious in their expectations, while others lack the confidence needed to embark on a new career path.
In other words, the region’s graduates tend to be bossy and expect the salary of the century as soon as they graduate, while others have no clue what the real business world is like. The likelihood is high that your child belongs to one of these two groups and a well-placed internship will benefit them significantly, making them sharper and more capable.
The advantages and benefits of internships are numerous, from identifying interests and talents to learning how to respect the hierarchy and navigate through office politics. Your progeny might even discover they were meant for a specific job or career path, or if they’d see themselves driving a taxi instead, for instance.
Don’t let them obsess on the title and position. Get them to look for internships in big companies and grab those that come their way. Beware though, there are a handful of Arab companies – even some banks – that describe menial work and very low pay for an unspecified time, so your offspring may be better off investigating the profile of the company beforehand through friends, the Internet and some well-posed questions during the interview.
Ultimately, their resume will be strengthened, they will gain more knowledge, learn how to deal with people and better understand what they’re getting themselves into. Even if they decide a particular internship/job isn’t for them, being exposed to different skills and navigating in a tough, real world will arm them with the knowledge they need to conquer their next internship and win the hearts of management. Their CV will look much glossier, the salary offered may even be higher and they’ll be seen in a different light altogether. So the next time a friend of the family offers to pull some strings and put your brood smack into a management position, turn him down politely and take a rain check until they’re ready to fill such big boots. Their career depends on it.
