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Matt is studying engineering and wants to gain some real life experience.
He found a summer internship at a software engineering company he'd love to intern at, but it's unpaid.
Are you feeling conflicted about the benefit of taking an unpaid internship like Matt?
The Benefits
Internships provide valuable experience that can help you land that first job.
You can make connections at the company which could help you get a permanent job there in the future.
Sometimes, internships offer college credits that can be applied to your total hours you need to graduate.
The Drawbacks
The number one disadvantage of an unpaid internship is that you don't get paid.
It may cost you money to work there — i.e. transit fare, lunch money, etc.
You may be less valued than paid interns.
Did you know?
This Byte was created by a volunteer professional that wanted to share this insight to help you succeed - no agenda, no cost.
Making A Decision
Before taking an unpaid internship, consider the following...
Is money an issue for you? Can you live on what you have?
Do you need to work part-time?
What's your schedule like? Will you be taking classes during the internship?
How interested and passionate are you about the internship?
Quiz
Matt is offered a 3 month unpaid internship at a company he'd love to work at full-time someday. What should he do before deciding to take it?
Matt should look into the connections he can make at the company by researching the people who work there. He can also inquire about the possibility of staying with the company long term after the internship ends. It's also important that Matt has enough money to support himself during the internship.
Take Action
Here are some suggestions to get you started...
This Byte has been authored by
Melissa Arostegui
Instructional Designer