There’s also another debate surrounding internships, which has questioned whether they should be paid or unpaid. While paid internships are what every student would like to take on, unpaid internships shouldn’t be ignored – especially if you can get valuable experience and/or school credit for it. I completed an unpaid internship for 6 months and I don’t regret it one bit! Granted, I did work in retail part-time (to make $$$) and thus was only able to commit part-time hours towards my internship as well. With attending school full-time, completing my internship part-time, and working in retail part-time, I had a lot on my plate! Though I will never regret that experience because it taught me things that I would never learn in a classroom.
During my undergrad, I noticed that many of the students in my class did not complete an internship. It boggled my mind. I remember the time I entered second year and was already looking at Indeed.com, Twitter and even Craigslist for an internship. I kept wondering: What about my peers? Did they not see the benefit of an internship? Only after entering their fourth year were they going out to find one – only because they had to, in order to graduate. And even at that, some students weren’t thrilled about the opportunity and some even lied about their internship experience. That completely dumbfounded me.
Why should you be an intern? For the following reasons:
Experience
Where else will you put what you’ve learned in class into practice? An internship will give you the opportunity to learn about the work environment and provide you enough experience for entry-level positions in the future.
Stand Out Candidate
When employers look for candidates, they want to see more than what you have completed in school. They look for work experience. I’m sure you have been in that situation where you look at a job description and read “1 – 2 years of experience required” then think “well how am I going to get experience if no one is willing to hire me without?!” Simple answer: with internships.
Expanded Network
Internships give you the opportunity to meet new people outside of school. By expanding your network, you’ll have additional opportunities for future employment after you complete your internship. Doesn’t that sound fantastic?
I truly believe an internship, whether it be unpaid or paid, can provide the same benefits…aside from the obvious one of course, which is money. If taking on an unpaid internship will become a struggle for you financially, I suggest taking on a part-time internship and a part-time job at the same time. It’s definitely possible – I did it and I recommend it!
What are your thoughts on internships?
