Internship as a Recruitment Strategy: Genz Perceptive on Employability

Sudha N¹, Rinku Mathew Modoor²

1 MBA Student, Department of Management Studies, Surana College (Autonomous), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Management Studies, Surana College (Autonomous), Bengaluru, Karnataka, India

Abstract

The transition from academic life to professional employment has fundamentally shifted. Internships, once considered supplementary learning experiences, have evolved into strategic recruitment mechanisms through which organisations identify, evaluate, and convert talent before making formal employment commitments. This dual character a developmental opportunity for students and a low-risk screening tool for employers forms the central premise of this research.

This study investigates internships as strategic employability pathways from the perspective of Generation Z students and early-career job seekers in Bengaluru, India's leading technology and start-up hub. Generation Z, born between 1997 and 2012, brings a distinctly intentional and digitally informed approach to career decision-making, making their perception of internships as recruitment pathways a uniquely relevant area of inquiry.

The study is guided by four objectives to examine internships as strategic employability pathways beyond mere skill development; to explore recruitment strategies from the student's perspective; to investigate how GenZ perceives internships as structured gateways into full-time employment; and to assess how internship experiences shape perceived employability readiness. The research is grounded in Human Capital Theory,  Signalling  Theory,  Expectancy Theory ,Psychological Contract Theory, and the Hillage and Pollard Employability Framework.

A structured questionnaire was administered to Gen Z students and recent graduates. Findings Theory,Psychological Contract Theory, and the Hillage and Pollard Employability Framework. A structured questionnaire was administered to Gen Z students and recent graduates. Findings are expected to confirm that internship experience significantly inluences employability outcomes, that recruitment process quality shapes student decision-making, and that strategic awareness of internship dynamics positively correlates with employment readiness.

With India's graduate employability at 42.6 percent and internship opportunities growing by 135 percent since 2020, this research ofers timely insights for students, educators, organisations, and policymakers seeking to bridge the persistent gap between higher education and meaningful employment.

Keywords: Internship, Recruitment Strategy, Generation Z, Employability, Signalling Theory, Human Capital, Graduate Employment, Career Readiness, Experiential Learning, India Labour Market