Many internships in the United States are unpaid like in your home county but the real question is if an unpaid internship is worth it? Should you consider an unpaid internship? This article will highlight 4 reasons why an unpaid internship is worth it.
There are 2 reasons why an internship is not paid:
1. You lack practical skills and experience at the current moment but the company is willing to give you an opportunity.
2. The company is a start-up and very small or the duration of the internship is only some months.
For these reasons, the advantage of having a good internship is always on your side, even if it is unpaid. The right mindset is important! Try to develop a realistic view rather than simply dreaming. The more realistic you are about your skills and experience, the better your chances of gaining experience at an internship will be.
1. Experience and Skills
First, remind yourself why you came up to do an internship abroad especially in the USA? Right, your idea was not making money it was all about to elevate your career and skills and competencies.
In today’s competitive job market, employers value experience, and skills. The problem right now is many students and recent graduates do not have enough or the right experience to get hired for the job that they desire.
An unpaid internship pays off if it provides you with an opportunity to gain experience and learn skills that you can apply to your future career. For example, if you are in Marketing, an unpaid internship should allow you to create content, manage social media, develop strategic campaigns, and work on Search Engine Optimization. The same idea applies for Engineering, Business, IT, and every other field.
2. Gaining university credit
Most universities require that students study abroad for a certain period of time. If you are a student that falls in this category, then doing an unpaid internship while going to school may be a good option for you.
Unpaid internships tend to be more flexible with work schedules and can allow you to intern at flexible hours when you are free from university. The idea of living abroad, earning university credit, and gaining experience make an unpaid internship worth it.
3. Networking and Meeting People
Unpaid internships can provide you with opportunities to meet new people that can open doors for career opportunities in the future. You may have the chance to develop relationships with your supervisors and coworkers. The connections you make while interning can set the foundation for you to work internationally.
Most companies prefer to hire people that they already know or people that are recommended. If you intern for free at a company, you can show them that you are capable of working there in the future.
4. Traveling in the United States and experiencing the lifestyle and culture
An unpaid internship is mostly better than no internship. An unpaid internship opens you also the way to stay, live, travel and experience the USA. Mostly unpaid internships are not longer than 6 months. The average is around 3 months. But 3 months internships mostly unpaid also for American students. In 3 or 6 months you can build skills, get new ideas and inspiration what you can do with your career and live and you can see different parts of the USA. Think about what this value means for your future life?
Conclusion
An unpaid internship is worth it for the experience and skills that you can gain. Companies require more than just a good education. Unpaid internships can push your career forward by helping you to learn the skills that are needed to be successful within your current field.
If you are a student, then earning university credit at an internship is a huge bonus. You can meet your school requirements while also developing good connections at your internship are great advantages. You can gain credit while establishing connections that can lead to future employment with your company.
Lastly, unpaid internships are worth it if you develop the right mindset. No company is waiting for you. You need to find a company that will give you an opportunity to gain experience. Just make sure to secure your own financial funds in order for you to stay in the United States.
An unpaid internship opens up the doors to a paid internship or your first job! You must build your career step by step over many years! If you see an unpaid internship your personal investment in your skills and life it will pay off over the next 10 years. Request Program Information
