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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at UC Berkeley chapter.

Are you interested in gaining work experience from the comfort of your own room, or any location that you feel like working in, without having to worry about getting ready? Then a virtual internship is the way to go! 

Last semester, while being a full-time student, I had a remote internship for a fashion startup. It was a great experience, and I would recommend a remote internship to anyone looking to add experience to their resume and gain hands-on skills. Virtual internships are especially great for anyone who is taking classes or who wants to tackle multiple things at once. Working remotely allowed me to balance my schoolwork and my extracurricular activities with having a job! 

Because all of the work is online, a virtual internship allowed me to create my own schedule. It also allowed me to work in any place of my choice. I would usually either work at a library, my sorority’s study room. Not having to worry about housing or transportation was a huge plus! 

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Because I never reported to work at a physical location, I was able to further develop my communication skills via phone. I had weekly phone calls with the CEO. As someone who used to hate speaking on the phone, I can confidently say that phone calls are now a breeze for me! In addition to phone calls, emails and Slack were major digital platforms that helped me maintain contact with the CEO. 

While there are many perks to having a remote internship, there are also a few downsides. For anyone who is a huge procrastinator, it can be easy to fall behind. Because of this, I would highly recommend using a planner (whether it is physical, online, or even both). Although remote internships are very convenient, they do not provide an in-office work experience, which is what a lot of college students are probably hoping for. This can mean missing out on in-person socializing and forming connections with other interns and employees. 

Despite some of these disadvantages, there are still many benefits to taking on a remote internship. Not only are they a great way to gain work experience, but they are also extremely convenient! Overall, I would highly recommend a virtual internship to anyone who is looking to gain valuable work experience! 

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Brianna Astorga

UC Berkeley '21

Brianna is a senior at UC Berkeley studying Media Studies and Sociology. She loves binge watching shows on Netflix, reading fantasy novels, and is obsessed with Taylor Swift's latest album.
After three years at Cal, Brianna Brann graduated UC Berkeley in 2020 with a double major in Economics and Media Studies! She is originally from Santa Clarita in Southern California, but she loves the weather, nature, and people in the Bay Area. In addition to her unmatched passion for film and television, she also enjoys visiting the beach, playing with her dog, and hiking outdoors!