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Internship Yes or No?

Veteran

Angelo Figueroa Antioch, IL

Was offered an internship with a company in the field I am pursuing and currently studying. However the pay is not enough. I would have to go solo and be away from my family for the Internship to make it work. I just dont know if I should go or wait for another opportunity.

1 September 2018 7 replies Career Exploration

Answers

Advisor

Steven Daguio San Francisco, CA

Great points provided so far - One of the most beneficial takeaways from my internships was not just the direct experience of what I would be doing in the industry, but it also highlighted areas I dislike and to potentially avoid in the future. If it a field you are interested in and you have the appropriate support framework in place, internships are one the best options for employment.

As someone has already pointed out, a thorough cost-to-benefit analysis should be taken to ensure this would be an appropriate decision. Although the current compensation may not be sufficient, the long-term network building and industry exposure may prove to be invaluable to your future prospects.

Good luck!

Advisor

Alex Haseley Washington, DC

Internships give you an opportunity to be more credible in future interviews and build relationships. If you can somehow work out the finances, and you think the internship will be a great learning/relationship opportunity, then take it and kick butt! Most companies look at their interns as possible future hires and use it as a training ground, so you never know what will come out on the other end. While you're there, act as though you're there for the long-term, and maybe they won't let you go!

Advisor

John Sinnott Providence, RI

Whatever industry you're considering, if you can grab an internship take it! It is really a long term two-way interview. The company is checking you out and you in turn, are checking out not only the company, but also the people who you'll be working with and the field that you thought you wanted to venture into.
We almost exclusively hire past interns, roughly 95% of our new hires have been interns. There's that one superstar that shows up at your doorstep, but that's rare.

Advisor

Jose Roman Norfolk, VA

Always Yes.

1) An internship introduces you to the industry and specifically, potentially the company where you want to land after you complete your education.

2) It gives you real world experience where you can apply your past military experience and your current education.

3) it helps you build your network (think LinkedIn connections) of people in the industry you want to land. These folks are going to be how you find your next career.

4) Think of internships as your first interview. You are already in the door. internships are great places to find recommendations for other positions, companies and industry opportunities.

5) An internship will let you know up front if you are on the right education path for the career you want.

6) Most importantly an internship lets the company know if you are a fit for them without the long term commitment.

7) internships expose you to the culture of a company and the industry you may be looking in pursuing as a career.

8) Internships will allow you to do information interviews with people in different positions to learn more about the industry and other career tracks in the company.

9) Internships give you a resume bullet and a conversation builder for your next interview.

10) This # intentionally left blank.

Advisor

Paul Dietrich Staten Island, NY

Angelo, thank you for your service. I can only tell you that I was a sponsor for interns at the company that I worked for and except in very special occasions, the ONLY way we hired anyone was through the competitive process of the internship. They offer the employer the opportunity to see you in a work setting against other interns and that is how you gain a competitive edge. If there are a lot of other opportunities where you are located, you could pass this up, otherwise, I would encourage you to take the chance and then push hard to get the final job.

Advisor

Brian Burress Cincinnati, OH

Barron's #6 is a very key aspect to consider.

For your field of study, is an internship that pays well "normal"?

Depending on the field of study, internships can be about you getting some experience and the company getting some work done but more importantly a chance to see how you do.

In some fields the internship is a sort of "right of passage" that is your path into a more permanent job in which case you may not have a choice to find one with great pay.

Does your career provide for job options where you currently live? If so, are there internship opportunities -- you may be able to consider a non-paid internship in order to be at home?

Advisor

Barron Evans Ann Arbor, MI

Angelo... foremost, thank you for your service. In answering, my preliminary questions come in what you don't say: 1) How far is 'away,' and is it drivable; 2) in undertaking your search, how many miles to/from the worksite have you allotted, and deemed acceptable; 3) what does your wife have to say; 4) are you the solo income, or does your wife work; 5) is the company offering the internship the only company in the field your pursuing; 6) have you undertaken a cost:benefit analysis to assess whether the interim learning phase outweighs the longer-term opportunity the internship will provide? NET/NET: since I don't know the particular area you're studying, and only have this public data RE top employers in the Antioch area: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Antioch,_Illinois#Top_employers …my final advice would be: if you've explained your circumstance, and already explored the option for compensation (e.g., could be salary, but also per diem for lodging/food/commute), then the ultimate question is: does this short-term investment in yourself, and what it builds for your family's future, outweigh what the family will have to temporarily suffer financially, emotionally, and practically? Best wishes for success!

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