Finding the Positives as an Unpaid Intern

By Nikki Hipolito on August 25, 2013

I’ll be frank–it does kind of suck to be unpaid for all the hard work you put into a job. Recently, I received an internship in downtown Columbus. Not only do I have to make a 40-minute commute there and back on the public bus, but I also don’t get paid. As if getting a paid part or full-time entry level job isn’t hard enough, it’s even harder to find a paid internship. And while I searched high and low for any paid positions, I figured an unpaid internship was better than nothing. During my time at my new internship, I realized my life would be a whole lot better if I stopped complaining about the fact that I don’t get paid and focused on the positives of an unpaid internship. And to my surprise, I’ve found some.

The ability to get college credit. Even though I won’t be getting paid, I have the chance to further my studies and still learn outside of a typical classroom setting. And while I may just be getting coffee for the boss on some days, at least it’s better than taking a test!

Expanding your network. This may be one of the most important aspects of an unpaid internship, or any internship for that matter. The ability to meet new people and start making those connections in the job network is vital to any college graduate. You can even take advantage of meeting the other employees and interns. They may know people that can advance your career as well.

Learning new job skills. This could not be a better resume booster. Not only could you learn new job skills that can be applied to any job after graduation, but you could also improve upon the skills that you already possess. I didn’t think I’d be able to learn how to use Adobe Photoshop in a class, but I have certainly learned the basics through this internship.

Adapting to a new work environment. As if coming to college across the country for me wasn’t a big enough adaption. But seeing as this is my first internship, I’ve been able to dip my feet into the corporate world. At first, I didn’t know how I’d feel around such a serious work environment. Now, I feel like I am more comfortable around a career-driven environment. Even taking public transportation to and from my internship is a huge adaption for me that I’ve become more comfortable with.

Although it may not be my ideal unpaid job, my current internship is certainly a start to my career aspirations. If you have ever had or currently have an unpaid internship, feel free to share any other positives you’ve gotten out of it! Everyone has to start somewhere, and once you’ve reached the peak of your career, I’ll make an exception for you to sing “Started From The Bottom.”

Photo taken from careerealism.com

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