Internship announcement as influencer on social networks flooded with apps

An internship ad was flooded with more than 150 entries from Kiwi enthusiasts.

The plaintiffs, in this case, are not made up of your usual group of aspiring doctors, lawyers or bankers, but rather a whole new breed of ambitious young people.

Each of the candidates is hoping to benefit from a three-month paid internship at OPPO, a smartphone manufacturer, to become a social media influencer.

The successful candidate will fly to New Zealand and Australia in the most unstoppable locations for the sole purpose of capturing and sharing content on their own profiles, as well as on those of OPPO's social networks.

But if all-expenses paid travel are not enough, the trainee will receive the new flagship smartphone OPPO, the R17 Pro, and will be supervised by other employees and ambassadors of the company, including Nicole Millar, Milly Bannister, Libby Kay and KOTravellers.

Kevin Cho, chief executive of OPPO New Zealand, said he could see the company employ and train full-time influencers in the near future.

"As a smart phone maker, we know all too well that there are more and more people buying our devices for the sole purpose of capturing and sharing content." Many of these content creators aspire to develop their chains and eventually create a viable revenue stream and career path, "Cho says.

"We can see that in the not-too-distant future, we will employ and train full-time influencers in the same way as any other employee."

The skill requirements are vague and predictable, but being able to capture an enviable Insta flow would be a considerable advantage.

According to a new study by OPPO New Zealand, 9 out of 10 Kiwis aged 18 to 24 reported becoming an influential Instagram as their dream job.

And nearly half (47%) of those surveyed said they made a decision to purchase or travel based on social media endorsement.

The role of an influencer is not so new and may become even more important, companies turning to large social media networks to promote their products.

Applications for the OPPO Influence Stage are now open until December 15th. For more details or to apply, visit www.oppocareers.co.nz.