Why don't I get international internships? (Volvo, Nissan)

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the challenges faced by a participant from Eastern Europe in securing international internships, specifically with companies like Volvo and Nissan. It explores factors influencing internship opportunities, including qualifications, competition, and geographical considerations.

Discussion Character

  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification
  • Technical explanation

Main Points Raised

  • One participant questions whether being from Eastern Europe affects their chances of obtaining internships in England or the USA, despite having relevant experience and education.
  • Another participant notes that rejection letters often do not provide specific reasons for the decision, highlighting the lack of feedback for applicants.
  • A participant mentions the competitive nature of technical job postings, suggesting a high applicant-to-offer ratio, which may contribute to the difficulty in securing internships.
  • Concerns are raised about the impersonal nature of rejection communications, with one participant expressing a desire for more personalized feedback.
  • It is suggested that being from an EU country may facilitate finding internships within the EU, while non-EU applicants may face additional challenges, such as needing work permits.
  • One participant discusses the potential benefits of study-abroad programs, which may allow for internships in foreign countries while being enrolled at a local university.
  • Another participant reflects on the competitive landscape, acknowledging that attending a less prestigious university may impact internship opportunities.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants generally agree on the competitive nature of the internship market and the challenges faced by applicants from Eastern Europe. However, there is no consensus on the specific reasons for the rejections or the best strategies to improve chances of securing internships.

Contextual Notes

Participants express uncertainty regarding the specific factors that influence hiring decisions, such as background relevance and competition with local candidates. There are also unresolved questions about the effectiveness of different application strategies.

Who May Find This Useful

Individuals seeking international internships, particularly those from Eastern Europe, as well as educators and career advisors in the field of engineering and related disciplines.

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I'm from eastern part of Europe. Does that make me less likely to get international internships/jobs in England or USA? I've been rejected several times by Volvo and Nissan. There's no way I'm under-qualified already having >1 year industrial working experience and enrolled in master production engineering studies.
 
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When you got the rejection letter did it state a reason? Not everyone gets an offer.
 
Vanadium 50 said:
When you got the rejection letter did it state a reason? Not everyone gets an offer.
They either not get back at all or send an automated response. Some feedback would be great but I don't even make it to the interview so I can't ask.
 
Many technical postings are very competitive. I have been doing college recruiting recently, and leaving out some important details, the ratio of applicants to offers is probably 200:1 or so.
 
It is a bit rude not to answer at all. I will at least send an email thanking them for their application and then an email saying that unfortunately we have chosen somebody else for the job. But OK, maybe my opinion will change when I have to answer 200 mails. For me, the main reason for not taking somebody is that the person just doesn't have the right background for the projects that we currently have.

If your eastern-European country is within the EU, then it will be easier to find an internship within the EU. If you are not in the EU, you and I need to apply for a special work/study permit and I need to pay you twice the amount of money. If you are not in the EU, something you could do is a study-abroad program (Erasmus or something similar). You are then enrolled at a foreign university and you can then do an internship in that country while connected to that university. For me, it would be like hiring an local intern instead of an international intern.

For finding an international job, it depends on your grades, your international experience, the university you were at, the languages you speak, the knowledge you have, the competition with 'local' people.
 
You summed it up pretty well. The competition in high and although I'm attending a decent university it's not from the top few out there.
Makes me think twice before quitting my local job for a semester abroad but I still want to do it.
 

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