Launched September 2012 by Dupsy Abiola, Intern Avenue went ahead to amaze Dragon Den’s judges just a month after launch and became the first job platform to raise investments to help connect interns and employers online, in the UK.
The online recruitment tool allows employers to access graduate interns in their areas of interest. Companies can create a profile and search through prospective interns to find those candidates with the exact skills they are looking for, rather than posting a regular job ad.
Inspired by her little sisters inability to find an internship and her firms difficulty in acquiring talent, she raised £100,000 seed from Dragon Den’s Peter Jones to help firms find and hire bright students and graduate interns minus the great pain it is now. The platform helps users have direct access to intern candidates and at the right time. The online recruitment tool allows employers to access graduate interns in their areas of interest. Companies can create a profile and search through prospective interns to find those candidates with the exact skills they are looking for, rather than posting a regular job ad.
Dupsy Abiola, the founder is the daughter of the late MKO Abiola, a Nigerian businessman and philanthropist who in 1993 was set to be elected president before the annulment of the election by the military which led to his arrest in 1994 and his passing on four years later. Though Dupsy is her daughter, she is a UK citizen, an Oxford graduate and a former UK barrister, yes; she is not a Nigerian lawyer.
Abiola says Intern Avenue is the first professional hiring platform designed to connect the most talented students and graduates with employers instantly; and is positioned to fill the large gap between Facebook and LinkedIn.
To make it suitable for interns, the platform is free for students but companies pay a surcharge to access the qualified candidates. Businesses use Intern Avenue to find interns by instantly searching the Intern Directory or by advertising internships online.
She wants people to know this is not another job board, only aiming at students but an on-demand introduction agency which aims to help companies acquire talent and also help students be headhunted and find accurate jobs in a crowded job market.
She says on the site, “Internships are a great route into your dream industry. All Intern Avenue internships also pay at least minimum wage. Finding an Internship couldn’t be easier – simply complete your profile, adding as much relevant information as possible, and let the employers come to you! Speed up the search by applying for internships online.
Intern Avenue was created with the single aim of being the easiest possible way for employers and future junior hires to connect online. We provide an interactive platform which automatically matches talented interns with top employers and relieve the time-consuming burden of repetitive job posting and application processes, whilst also opening up market visibility for interns and employers alike.
The platform is expected to help students, graduates and MBAs create their own profiles, join the private database and be easily searched and accessed by hiring firms around the clock.
Don’t worry even if you are in first year, join Intern Avenue and keep updating your professional profile each year about your interests, achievements, and on-going availability, rather than giving a fraction of this detail on a vacancy by vacancy basis. As an employer, you can hire directly from campus and have access to the right talent pool at the right time.