Competitor analysis (EasyShiksha,Internshala,VirtualInternships)
& User Research
Competitor 1: [Link]
Overview:
● Target Audience: Students seeking skill enhancement through free courses and
certifications.
● Core Offerings:
○ Free and paid online courses.
○ Certification programs.
○ Job and internship listings.
○ Personality and aptitude tests for career guidance.
Strengths:
● Large repository of online courses, both free and paid.
● Offers value-adds like personality development and aptitude tests.
● Affordable options for students.
Weaknesses:
● Limited focus on internships or practical job experience compared to Internshala or
VirtualInternships.
● Not highly specialized in employability or industry-academia collaboration.
● Less emphasis on global opportunities.
Unique Value Proposition:
● Skill-building focus for students at low costs.
Competitor 2: Internshala
Overview:
● Target Audience: Students and fresh graduates seeking internships, training, and
fresher jobs.
● Core Offerings:
○ Internship opportunities across diverse industries.
○ Online training programs in technical and soft skills.
○ Career resources like resume building and interview preparation.
Strengths:
● Established and trusted brand with a strong student user base.
● Comprehensive internship database.
● Integrated training programs to help students qualify for opportunities.
● User-friendly platform with frequent updates.
Weaknesses:
● Predominantly focuses on internships and entry-level jobs; lacks continuous professional
development focus.
● Limited engagement with colleges and academia for structured guidance.
Unique Value Proposition:
● Largest internship portal in India, combining internships and skill-building programs.
Competitor 3: [Link]
Overview:
● Target Audience: Students and professionals seeking global internship opportunities.
● Core Offerings:
○ Remote internships across 70+ countries.
○ Personalized internship matching services.
○ Employability programs including career coaching and mentoring.
Strengths:
● Strong focus on global exposure.
● High-quality internship matching through AI.
● Additional services like career mentorship and virtual career fairs.
● Targets both students and professionals, expanding its reach.
Weaknesses:
● Premium pricing; not affordable for all students, especially in developing markets like
India.
● Less emphasis on localized opportunities for Indian users.
Unique Value Proposition:
● Offers global, remote internships with personalized matching and career guidance.
Comparison with IAC (Industry Academia Community)
Unique Features of IAC:
● Focus on Employability: Unlike competitors, IAC emphasizes long-term career
readiness through continuous professional development.
● End-to-End Support: Combines career vision, guidance, internships, and placement
support.
● Industry-Academia Partnership: Bridges the gap between institutions and industry via
structured programs.
● Free or Affordable Access: More accessible to students in India compared to
VirtualInternships’ premium pricing.
Opportunities for IAC
1. Local Expertise: Focus on the Indian market with localized internships, skill-building
workshops, and tie-ups with Indian universities and companies.
2. Global Exposure: Introduce global internship opportunities at competitive pricing to rival
VirtualInternships.
3. Integrated Platform: Offer a seamless experience combining career guidance,
internships, and certifications, differentiating from niche players like Internshala or
EasyShiksha.
4. Scalability: Leverage the growing student population in India and the gap in
employability to scale quickly.
Conclusion
While competitors like Internshala dominate internships, VirtualInternships focuses on global
opportunities, and EasyShiksha excels in affordable skill-building, IAC can carve its niche by
offering a comprehensive career readiness ecosystem. With its unique focus on
employability and academia-industry partnerships, IAC is well-positioned to scale and
differentiate itself in the market.
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User research plan :
Step 1: Define Target Users
1. Primary Users:
○ Higher education students (ages 18–25) in IT, Management, and other
professional courses.
○ Young professionals (ages 25–30) looking for career transitions or skill upgrades.
2. Secondary Users:
○ College authorities (TPOs, professors, placement heads).
○ Employers offering internships or entry-level jobs.
Step 2: Objectives of Research
● Understand Pain Points: What challenges do users face in finding internships, jobs, or
career guidance?
● Feature Preferences: What features do users value most in career-related platforms?
● Platform Experience: How well does the IAC MVP meet user needs?
Step 3: Research Methods
1. Surveys (Quantitative)
● Use tools like Google Forms or Typeform to distribute a survey.
● Questions to Include:
○ What challenges do you face in finding internships or jobs?
○ How often do you use career-related platforms?
○ What features are most important to you? (Rank features: career guidance,
internships, skill training, job placement).
○ Would you recommend the app to others?
2. User Interviews (Qualitative)
● Conduct 1-on-1 interviews with 10–15 users for deeper insights.
● Key Questions:
○ How do you currently search for internships/jobs?
○ Have you used the IAC app? What did you like or dislike?
○ What additional features would you like to see?
○ How important is personalized guidance to you?
3. Observation
● Observe users navigating the app during usability testing sessions.
● Note where they face confusion or frustration (e.g., in the internship search or application
process).
Step 4: Analyze User Feedback
Themes to Identify
1. Challenges:
○ Difficulty finding credible internships or jobs.
○ Lack of industry exposure or soft skills.
2. Needs:
○ Personalized career guidance.
○ Access to relevant internships and training programs.
3. Desired Features:
○ Resume-building tools.
○ Mock interviews and job preparation.
○ Industry certifications for specific skills.
Step 5: Deliverables
● User Personas: Summarize the insights into profiles, e.g.:
1. "Riya, a 21-year-old IT student, struggles to find internships in her field and
needs help preparing for interviews."
2. "Amit, a 26-year-old professional, wants to switch to management but lacks the
certifications and career guidance to make the leap."
● Top 3 Insights:
1. Users want a seamless way to find relevant internships and jobs.
2. Skill training and soft skills development are critical gaps in existing solutions.
3. Users value guidance that aligns their skills and career aspirations.
Tools for Research
● Surveys: Google Forms, SurveyMonkey.
● Interviews: Zoom, Google Meet, or in-person.
● Usability Testing: Tools like Maze or Lookback.
