It’s time. That dreaded point where you realize that you absolutely have to get an internship.
You might be at the start of your program or nearing the end before you finally are handed that magical degree, but no matter what point you are at in your academic career, finding your first internship can be incredibly intimidating and sometimes even disheartening.
As an advertising and public relations major, I am required to complete at least one internship, although we are strongly encouraged by our academic advisors to complete as many as we possibly can. Last semester marked the point at which I knew I wanted to get an internship under my belt and start really learning what it takes to work in my field.
Preparing for our internship fair, talking to my peers, and researching opinions on internships brought me to one solid conclusion. While there is a wealth of opinion about internships everyone seems to agree that unpaid internships are some sort of legal form of enslavement. In fact, there was a point where I felt this way myself.
Before landing my first internship (unpaid, of course) I was under the impression that every business that offered an unpaid internship was conniving and preying upon students with wicked intent. But the fact of the matter is that is simply not the case.
While your internship may fall into the category of unpaid or paid there is a problem at large that people are missing. The problem is that there are good internships and then there are bad internships. Whether you are paid for your efforts has nothing to do with what type of internship you find yourself completing.
What is an internship really?
I have heard people describe awful work situations in an internship where they were paid and then I’ve heard people rave about internships where they never even earn a penny. So, what gives?
An internship, as defined by Merriam-Webster Dictionary, is “a student or recent graduate who works for a period of time at a job in order to get experience” which states nothing about being paid. Yes, we all must pay our bills and yes, it’s rough. This is alas #collegelife. But an internship is an opportunity to gain experience, not a replacement for your job.
Internships are a chance to work alongside experienced professionals and possibly get the chance to work on some really awesome projects.
While you may think you know ‘oh so much’ about your field of study before beginning your time at your new place of work, I can guarantee that you are likely mistaken.
Studying a textbook and getting hands-on, real-world experience, while both instrumental for your success, are both overwhelmingly different.
An internship is the chance to get your hands dirty, make some mistakes, and ask questions if you have no idea what you are doing. It is okay to be a bit lost at times – it’s an internship – your supervisors are there to help you succeed.
What you should expect from any internship.
Guys, you need standards. In every aspect of your life, really, but right now let us focus on the internship part of things.
When looking at internships online or getting in touch with potential opportunities, be sure to do your research. Learn about the company, talk to others who have done the internship if possible, and ask the directors of the internship questions if you have them.
In the interview for an internship, you are interested in be sure to ask about expectations and about responsibilities. Make sure that you are a good match for the internship and that the internship is a good match for you. Just like couples, not every internship and student are a match made in heaven.
It is important to know before excepting the offer that you will be getting out what you are putting in.
With all of that being said –
Why should your first internship be unpaid?
You have never worked in your field a day in your life. The most ‘experience’ you have in your field is the ‘qualifications’ you sprinkled into your resume that are quite a stretch from what you are actually doing at your college job. The point is: You have a lot to learn.
While it can be frustrating to sink time into something that you are not receiving monetary gain from, in turn, you must change your perspective. This internship is like a class – an incredibly intensive, very hands-on class.
Do you get paid to go to school? If so, please let me know. I spend more hours studying notes, attending lectures, and completing assignments than I do anything else in life.
You are gaining so much knowledge, hands-on experience, and material for your portfolio when you have an internship. That is your pay – the experience.
One last reason is that the pressure is off. Let me clarify –
Internships can be just as stressful as they are exciting. You want to impress your supervisors, you want to make a good impression, and you want to get compliments on your work.
However, when you are paid for something there is a sort of stigma attached to it. This stigma may only exist in your own mind, but it is there all the same.
When you are completing a paid internship, you feel more like a normal employee that needs to complete every assignment with perfection. On the other hand, at an unpaid internship that pressure ebbs away.
For your very first internship, it is okay to not be paid. I recommend it! There is less stress on you, the experience itself is pay enough, and you need to gain experience somehow so an internship is the perfect option.
What are red flags for both paid and unpaid internships?
Now, there are bad internships both paid and unpaid. I wanted to carve out a section to talk about what to watch out for with these bad internships as they, unfortunately, are out there.
But this is great practice because guess what? Once you are working in a paid position after gaining your degree there will be cases of good jobs and bad jobs. It’s important to learn now what you want and need from your career because while in college it is more acceptable and understood that you are jumping from position to position as the semesters come and go, while there is a much different expectation once you have graduated and are settling into a career.
Watch out for internships in which…
So what I’m really saying is…
Picture this: You have an amazing offer for an internship.
There are hands-on-experience opportunities, you will be in charge of a project that will fit perfectly into your portfolio, and you are interested in the company’s missions, goals, and purpose. The best part? There is a chance for growth within the company at the completion of the internship!
The only problem? It’s unpaid.
So, you turn it down and wait to hear back from a paid internship opportunity instead. Perhaps you hear back from one of them and have a great experience (or an awful one) and perhaps you never hear back from anywhere else and don’t complete an internship that semester.
Point being, don’t turn down opportunities that could influence the path of your career in exhilarating and monumental ways.
It is true - we all come from different situations. Some of us must work full-time jobs while in school, some of us don't have transportation to an internship off campus, and others of us have the privilege of having an open schedule and minimal limitations. There are internship opportunities out there for everyone if you know where to look and build the right connections through your networking.
The key is to find internship supervisors who will work with you and who understand your situation and understand what you are able to commit to. It is all about communication! (As a communications major that was fun to say.)
If you are still unsatisfied with the idea of unpaid internships that deliver quality learning experiences and develop necessary skills in interns, then honey, I’ve got news for you.
It’s not the internship, it’s your attitude about the internship.
