An internship is an excellent opportunity for college students and inexperienced workers to learn different skills and see how things are done in the corporate world. While a student works on their college degree, internships can help them gain enough experience to apply for entry-level roles. Internships at companies like Alibaba also help you to stand out among your peers during interviews.
For some well-known companies like Alibaba, it may be somewhat difficult to get an internship as they are highly competitive. However, this guide will cover how to get an internship at Alibaba Group as well as things you should do to increase your chances of getting an internship at Alibaba.
What Is Alibaba? A Brief Alibaba Background
Alibaba Group was established in 1999 by Jack Ma, an English teacher. Ma raised $80,000 from investors to begin an online marketplace. The firm created Tmall for connecting consumers and retailers and Taobao Marketplace to link sellers and buyers. The franchise expanded and created Alibaba GDT Cross Border Ecommerce Simulation Platform and Alibaba Cloud, which offers cloud security and other cloud resources.
According to Statista, Alibaba Group’s money comes from advertising, commissions on sales, and fees for memberships, among other services. This is one of many Chinese companies that has a global presence with offices in different countries and major cities like Hong Kong, Milan, and Amsterdam.
Does Alibaba Hire Students?
Alibaba hires students as interns and also offers graduate internship programs, especially to student developers. The students are often in their third year at various educational organizations for bachelor’s degrees, or currently enrolled in master’s or doctorate programs.
The duration of an internship may depend on the requirements, but they are usually between six weeks and a few months. However, they always occur for a limited time and act as an enjoyable learning experience.
Alibaba Internships: General Overview
Alibaba has different internships each year for students in the STEM disciplines and other related fields. The summer interns get to experience the corporate world in a multinational company by joining the appropriate business unit. This can act as a strong cultural experience. Interns learn from professionals and gather first-hand experiences in their respective fields.
What Does an Alibaba Intern Do?
An Alibaba intern performs different tasks depending on the particular role they are filling. Their roles include conducting financial analysis and market analysis. They also come up with marketing plans. Their role may also include increasing customer satisfaction. Alibaba internships are an immersive experience, which allows students to fully master new skills.
Interns take part in other activities in the Alibaba compound such as team meetings in the morning and group projects with other interns in the same department. In addition, they will get to help with critical operational tasks. Many student developers may also assist in the design process or Internet applications as well as helping increase development efficiency.
Alibaba Internship Reviews: What Is the Experience Like?
According to Glassdoor reviews, the Alibaba Group’s internship program has a good rating of 4.1 stars. The interns mostly reported having a positive experience. Some interns commended the flexible work time, free dinner, and friendly work environment. Others loved the decent pay and the tasks that helped interns learn more about their field.
However, in some cases, interns complained about the language barrier and the remote location of the office. Others spoke about the numerous meetings they had to attend during their time at the company. Nonetheless, the internship experience helped them to learn about how the corporate world handles things.
Is It Hard to Get an Internship at Alibaba?
It is difficult to get an internship at Alibaba because it is competitive and one of the biggest Chinese tech companies. As hundreds of students apply, it can be tough to get accepted, especially when you do not have the requisite skills to apply. However, with enough hard work and information on how the programs work, you can land an internship at Alibaba.
Alibaba Intern Salaries: How Much Does an Alibaba Internship Pay?
According to Glassdoor, Alibaba interns earn a decent salary. However, the pay depends on the department they are hired into. Data scientists earn around $6,965 a month on average while business analysts earn $9,000 to 10,000 per month. Research professionals earn anything from $9,000 to $10,000.
IT network engineers have an average current salary of $1,000 per month and graduate internship program students earn $1,000 per month. On the other hand, Algorithm engineers earn an average of $7,000 to $8,000 per month.
How to Apply for an Alibaba Internship: A Step-by-Step Guide
The application process for an Alibaba internship is straightforward. However, there may be some language constraints on the talent website. While most of the website is written in English, there are Chinese letters which may be confusing for some applicants. If you are a college student looking to learn about corporate culture from an Alibaba internship, keep reading.
Step 1: Register on the Talent Site
Start by registering on the talent section of the Alibaba website. This page contains internships and graduate internships. However, before you can apply for any job, you need to register on the site. You will be required to fill in some basic data.
Step 2: Find an Internship
When you are done registering, you can begin to search for a suitable internship for your skills. The website has a search button where you can input keywords to quicken your search. You can input your discipline or search for general internships. When you find the one that suits your qualifications and skills, you can apply.
Step 3: Apply
To apply, click on the ‘apply’ button on the side of the job listing. Since you have registered previously, the process is simpler. If your application is successful, the company will contact you with the next steps of the student verification process.
How to Get an Internship at Alibaba: Internship Opportunities in 2022
Alibaba’s internship programs are seasonal and only last for a limited time. This means that they may not be available all year round or every year. There are only a few internships presently with most focusing on doctoral students and graduates. You should check the website regularly to learn more about new opportunities.
Alibaba Group-Software Engineer, PhD Graduate-Seattle
- Location: Seattle, WA
- Eligibility Requirements: PhD in Computer Science or Engineering, or equivalent.
- Skill Requirements: Proficiency in data structures, a strong coding project example
- Length: Not specified
- Start Date: Not specified
This internship program is for doctorate graduate software engineers. The intern assists in the design process for technologies for cloud databases and information processing. Software engineers will work on developments and innovative ideas for networking, distributed computing, information processing, and platforms for machine learning and artificial intelligence.
Alibaba Group-Software Engineer, PhD Graduate-Sunnyvale
- Location: Sunnyvale, CA
- Eligibility Requirements: PhD in Computer Science or Engineering, or equivalent.
- Skill Requirements: Proficiency in data structure
- Length: Not specified
- Start Date: Not specified
Eligible candidates are required to have strong coding projects, a doctorate in computer science or related disciplines, and knowledge of programming languages such as Java, Python, and C++. Successful candidates must also be able to work in a fast-paced environment as they will work on projects to understand the advantage of cloud computing.
Alibaba Group-Research Scientist, PhD Graduate-Seattle
- Location: Seattle, WA
- Eligibility Requirements: PhD candidates in machine learning and similar fields
- Skill Requirements: A strong record of projects and publications in desired fields of study
- Length: Not specified
- Start Date: Not specified
This opportunity is for group research scientists who want to work with leading engineers and scientists on computational sciences and AI. Only PhD candidates can apply to this program. Their discipline can include machine learning, applied math, computer science, electrical engineering, statistics, neuroscience, and biology.
Alibaba Group-Algorithm Development Engineer, PhD Graduate-Seattle
- Location: Seattle, WA
- Eligibility Requirements: PhD in STEM disciplines
- Skill Requirements: Proficient in at least one programming language, strong publication records
- Length: Not specified
- Start Date: Not specified
This program allows graduate students to collaborate with engineers and algorithm experts to solve real challenges. Candidates focus on computer vision, machine learning, natural language processing, decision making, augmented reality, optimization, virtual reality, and other developer trends. They get to work with product and business experts from Alibaba to master useful skills in their field.
Alibaba Group-Algorithm Development Engineer, PhD Graduate
- Location: Sunnyvale, CA
- Eligibility Requirements: PhD in STEM disciplines
- Skill Requirements: Proficient in at least one programming language, ability to work in a fast-paced environment
- Length: Not specified
- Start Date: Not specified
This program is open to PhD graduates in the US who want to gain experience in algorithm development. Candidates work with engineers and algorithm experts to solve real-world problems. The candidates focus on computer vision, deep learning, machine learning, decision making, natural language processing, and computer networks. They should also be familiar with developer trends.
Ant Group-Software Engineer (Internship, Singapore)-International BG
- Location: Singapore
- Eligibility Requirements: Currently pursuing a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree in Computer Science, Engineering or another relevant field
- Skill Requirements: Experience in server software development, knowledge of coding languages
- Length: Not specified
- Start Date: Not specified
This intern will take part in designing, developing, deploying, testing, maintaining, and improving low latency, high availability server apps. Interns will work on payment systems and must have knowledge of coding, algorithms, data structures, and computer science fundamentals.
How to Improve Your Chances of Getting an Alibaba Internship
Internships are tough to come by. This also applies to finding an Alibaba internship. Since there are not many internships available for students, they are competitive. However, you can stand out by adding crucial keywords to your resume, enrolling in a coding bootcamp, and preparing for the interview.
Add Crucial Keywords
You need to write an effective resume to get accepted. Tailor your resume to ensure that it has relevant keywords from the internship page. In most cases, large companies like Alibaba use applicant tracking systems, and using keywords will help your resume to pass to the next round. Be sure to use a clear font, as well. Add key skills from the description of the job.
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Attend a Coding Bootcamp
Especially if you don’t have extensive experience in the field, you will need impressive academic credentials to land an internship at Alibaba. A coding bootcamp will help you learn in-demand skills in a short period of time. You can choose a program that specializes in your preferred field.
Prepare For the interview
Ensure that you prepare before going in for the interview. This phase may seem intimidating considering the fact that you will need to outperform several other candidates. Preparing ahead of time will boost your confidence, and this can have a positive effect on your performance.
Start by researching Alibaba as a company and what it does. You can also research subsidiary companies like Alibaba Cloud. Find potential interview questions and prepare answers, wear professional clothes, and be confident and polite. Be sure to ask candid career questions when the interview is done and send an email to thank the hiring manager for their time.
Should I Apply for an Internship at Alibaba?
You should apply for an internship at Alibaba if you want to gain hands-on experience in a multinational firm. As one of the top Chinese companies, Alibaba gives you an opportunity to experience other cultures as well as learn from renowned professionals in your field.
The knowledge you gather from the program will help you prepare for a career in tech and will supplement what you learn from educational organizations. If you have impressive academic credentials, an internship at Alibaba might be perfect for you.
Alibaba Internships FAQ
Yes, there are summer internships available. Like most multinational corporations, Alibaba offers an internship program for current students and recent graduates. The programs are seasonal and mostly for the STEM disciplines and related courses. The programs are not remote.
To apply for an Alibaba internship, you need to register on the talent side of the company website. After registering, you can begin to search for suitable roles and apply for them with ease. However, you need to ensure that you meet all the qualifications before applying. If possible, get a second pair of eyes to check for you before submitting your application
Prepare your resume well before submitting an application. This includes structuring your resume properly adding the relevant skills that will pass the applicant tracking system successfully. Also, your resume should be short and precise. It helps to prepare for your interview, as well. Try to practice answering some potential interview questions.
Yes, getting an Alibaba internship is a brilliant strategy to gain hands-on experience, reasonable pay, and a chance to network with professionals in your field even before you enter the workforce. Most students who have done an internship with Alibaba had a positive experience. The company name on your resume could help you build a portfolio that companies will love.
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