Many of us encounter a great internship opportunity that offers us the professional experience, the academic development and the industry exposure we need. We get excited, we love the company, we’ve worked hard for a chance like this… And then we find out it’s unpaid.
The idea of donating your time for an unpaid professional experience can seem quite unappealing at first. For many, this is an easy no. But, when you look into the benefits and the outcome of an unpaid internship, you’ll realize that it can actually be a greater experience than imagined.
I did an unpaid internship once. It was a great company, it was in my area of study and I was overwhelmed with excitement when they liked me in the interview process. I really wanted the experience, so when I found out that I was not going to receive monetary compensation from it, I asked myself: “Are you willing to do it for free?”. Though this wasn’t an easy answer, I’m glad I said yes. Here’s why:
Benefit #1: It’s a great start.
Sometimes you just have to start somewhere. If you don’t have a lot of experience and the options are staying at home or taking an unpaid internship, the better option would be the latter. This can also give you some insight into your future career. It can be beneficial for planning for your life after college.
Plus, we all do volunteer work at some point. It’s very gratifying to give your best on something that may not repay you financially at the time. So why not dedicate your time to an experience that can uplift your career?
Benefit #2: It adds excellent value to your resume.
Truth is, employers are interested in what you do and what you have done. Not what you know. It’s much more useful to them if you spend your time doing unpaid work than sitting at home watching Netflix all day. I checked, sadly, you can’t put “Expert on binge-watching Netflix series” on your resume. Doing great on your internship can also help you for that “references” section and can provide you with excellent recommendation letters.
Benefit #3: The statistics on doing an internship are superior.
Statistically speaking, doing an internship means you are ahead of 70% of your classmates.
In 2012, Forbes reported that 69% of companies with more than 100 employees ended offering their interns full-time jobs. A study found out that college graduates who completed an internship where 13% more likely to obtain a full-time job upon graduating.
Benefit #4: It can help you decide.
If you’re uncertain about a career path, doing an internship can help you make better future decisions. You don’t know if you really enjoy your future career until you see how it actually is.
A study from Southwestern university discovered that students that had at least one internship experience were happier about their career choices.
Benefit #5: You can gain a lot of networking connections and future opportunities
Internships can teach a lot about teamwork, workplace environment, company protocols, handling conflicts professionally and many other competencies you would not have learned if it wasn’t for that experience.
In my case, though the internship was unpaid, the experience was invaluable. I learned a lot about the organization and what I can expect from future employers. For me, it was a submersion into “the real adult world” and how adult professionals live life. I now have hands-on experience in my field and I gained a handful of industry connections thanks to this experience.
I strongly recommend students to give unpaid internships a shot. In many cases, they are not considered enough and can actually lead to great outcomes.