Over the past few years, remote internships have been increasingly popular, offering students to work and gain valuable experience in the comfort of their own space. It is also ideal for those who can not necessarily travel to another country or state to do said internship, but still want the experience. While some may argue that virtual work lacks hands-on experience of in-person internships, others see it as an accessible and flexible way to develop professional skills. So, are remote internships really worth it? Let’s break it down.
The Pro’s of Remote Internships
- Flexibility And Convenience
One reason why I love having a remote internship, especially in the summer, is the flexibility it has to offer. Instead of commuting to an office, students can work from anywhere. We do not have to sacrifice how long the family vacation will be since we can work from anywhere. Remote internships during the school year or summer allow students to balance classes, extracurricular activities, and part-time jobs. Additionally, many remote internships allow students to set their own schedules, giving them control over their workload.
- Access To More Opportunities
Without location restrictions, students can apply to companies across the country, or even the world, expanding their options beyond what’s available in their immediate area. This is especially important for those who live in regions with limited opportunities.
- Development of Key Skills: Remote internships allow students to develop key skills that are valuable in today’s workforce, such as
- Time Management: Without direct supervision, students must hold themselves accountable to get work done in time.
- Digital Communication: Navigating emails, Slack, Zoom, and other platforms is essential for remote work. Without understanding these platforms, it may impact your performance, access to learning new skills, and communicating with colleagues.
- Independence And Problem-Solving: Interns usually need to figure out how to solve a problem on their own before asking for help. When it is an in-person internship, interns can go directly to the person without waiting for a virtual response.
The Cons of Remote Internships
- Self Motivation Required
When doing a remote internship, self motivation is required because there will be no supervisors around to monitor you. If you are a person who procrastinates, this may be a problem for you to get work done on time. Remote work requires discipline, without being in the office, interns must initiate asking questions, asking for guidance, and actively contribute on their own terms.
- Limited In-person Interaction
One of the drawbacks is the lack of face-to-face interactions. What helped in the previous internships to feel connected was when my boss gave us all buddies. We would meet once a week to discuss our progress with our partner and help each other on projects. If we vibed well enough, we would meet up in person to do work together or hang out for fun. Though it is harder to form strong relationships with colleagues and supervisors when communication happens primarily through email and phone, it is very possible to make genuine friendships with people you meet online.
- Fewer Hands-on Learning Experience
Some fields like healthcare, film production and fieldwork are better done when in-person to have a better understanding on how to do the work. If you’re alone, you may make mistakes that could be corrected if you had done the internship in-person with a supervisor. They may not provide as much high quality practical experience as an in-person role. If it’s a job like graphic design and marketing, I do not believe being in-person would matter as much unless you would like to network in person.