Internships can be a fantastic way for students and early career professionals to get work experience and develop their skills.
It can be overwhelming though. There are lots of different internships available and knowing which one is right for you at this stage can be tough. Internships can range in length, payment opportunities, industry, and even location. We explain all the different kinds of internships you’ll find here in the US and the pros and cons of each.
Traditional internships
Let’s start with the internship that most people are familiar with, a traditional internship model. All of the internships we detail below are variations of this model.
A traditional internship is normally offered by a for-profit corporate organization. They can be paid or unpaid, and some may offer academic credit.
The whole aim of an internship is for the person to gain experience in their field of interest.
Pros
- Valuable work experience and skills to add to your resume.
- Can help someone to explore a new industry without committing to a permanent job.
- A way of getting to know your strengths and weaknesses.
- This can lead to a permanent job opportunity
Cons
- They’re not always remunerated.
- They’re not always for academic credit.
- They’re competitive.
Internships by remuneration
There are three main types of internships when we categorize them by remuneration. Paid, unpaid, and partially paid.
Paid internships
These internships are salaried or paid hourly and are particularly common in professional, high-paying fields, such as law, medicine, finance, and accounting.
Pros
- You can earn while getting work experience, especially important to students from lower-income backgrounds.
- These tend to be very prestigious so they’re great for your resume!
Cons
- Wow, these are hard to come by. You’ll have to work hard to get a paid internship. You’ll probably be expected to complete some unpaid internships first to show employers that you have experience.
- They don’t always provide the same level of academic credit as unpaid internships.
Unpaid internships
Don’t provide a salary or hourly wage. These are typical in the not-for-profit sector with roles in think tanks, charities, and political offices. Some states have a Minimum Wage Act which means that a program must meet the criteria to be properly classified as an unpaid internship.
Some of these internships will cover expenses such as food and transportation.
Pros
- Some unpaid internships provide academic credits.
- As you are unpaid, your employer might reward you with great networking opportunities, introductions to potential employers, and written references.
- They can be a great foot in the door if you haven’t got much work experience.
Cons
- Unpaid internships have come under a lot of scrutiny recently as they have been criticized for being exploitative. Interns from lower-income households are struggling to do unpaid internships.
- You’ll have to commit a lot of time and effort for no payment.
Partially-paid internships
Payment is normally in the form of a stipend paid over a fixed period. With this stipend, there will be an expectation that a set number of tasks are completed.
Pros
- Remuneration and the tasks and role are set out in advance.
- Financial support makes this internship more accessible.
Cons
- Payment is normally less than a paid internship.
- They’re still really competitive.
Internships alongside college
Some internships are specifically designed for students, whereas most internships are available for graduates too. There are two main types of work-study programs, work research, and co-op.
Work research
Work research programs are normally done by students in their final year of school where a student does research for a particular company. Sometimes you can choose the topic of the research, and other times a company will come up with a specific theme you’ll be expected to explore. These opportunities will usually be part of your studies, and arranged by your university.
Pros
- You gain academic credits, and often either a stipend or payment to reward this work.
- This can be great ahead of postgraduate studies, or it might help you to gain a job offer from the company you are researching.
- These are designed to put your academic training into a workplace setting, so they can be a great transition from college to the working world.
Cons
- These internships are hard work and a lot of responsibility.
- You’ll probably need expertise in a specific area such as science, maths, or computer science.
- They don’t always provide compensation.
Co-op internships
These are part of a formalized study program and are usually over a longer period such as 6 months or more. These are designed to support both work and study simultaneously.
Pros
- These give you long-term access to a company and a role.
- You’ll build really strong relationships with the employer, which could lead to full-time work.
- This is a very structured program, which is beneficial for people who are new to the workforce.
Cons
- There’s not a lot of flexibility. Once you’re on one of these programs you have to see it through to the end, or you might have to retake a year of college.
- These aren’t open to all students. You’ll need to have enrolled in a specific program.
Internships by location
There are three main locations of work. Local/domestic, international, and remote. It’s vitally important to spend time thinking about the best location of work for you.
Local/domestic internships
Involve doing an internship here in the US. You can spend time in another city or stay local to your home or college.
Pros
- No need to relocate (unless you want to explore a new city)
- You don’t need to worry about work visas.
- You don’t need to learn a language.
Cons
- If you’re an overseas student that is studying in the US, doing an internship here might need a different visa.
- If you spend time interning in a new city, you must factor in rent, bills, and transportation.
International internships
Ever dreamt of spending time living overseas? Is Emily in Paris your career icon? Well, there are a lot of opportunities to intern overseas.
Often these will specifically be in teaching, mainly teaching English as a foreign language, but big organizations like banks and tech companies will have overseas opportunities too.
Pros
- You’ll experience a new culture, and potentially pick up some handy language skills.
- It’s great for your resume – you’ll be demonstrating “global awareness” to future employers.
- You’ll grow a lot personally too.
Cons
- This is a super pricey option. Although some schemes offer accommodation and even help with travel costs, you definitely won’t come out of this richer.
- You’ll probably need to obtain a visa which can take a long time.
- You probably won’t see a full-time job offer at the end of it as an employer would need to sponsor you, plus you might not want to leave the US long-term.
Virtual internships
Even though things have eased with Covid-19 and very few restrictions are in place, these are rising in popularity. Here an intern works remotely so will be expected to have access to a good internet connection and a computer. These internships tend to offer increased flexibility in terms of the hours and days of work.
Pros
- They can be an affordable option as you don’t need to move, relocate, or pay commuting costs.
- These internships tend to offer increased flexibility in terms of the hours and days of work.
- You could work for a company overseas.
Cons
- You won’t get that in-person “buzz” and it might be harder to build a strong relationship with your manager or mentor.
- You might not learn as much, as you won’t overhear conversations and meetings.
- If you struggle with motivation this is not the internship for you. Got a really distracting roommate? You’ll probably find it hard to get the work you need to do done.
Other types of internships
It’s worth remembering that however exhaustive this list is, internships are unique. Here are some other internships you might like to consider.
Non-profit internships
Working with a charity, a non-profit, an advocacy group, or a community organization, these are internships for people who want to do good.
Pros
- As you’ll be part of a smaller team you’ll normally get the chance to try your hand at quite a few things. You’ll get loads of variety!
- You’ll get to do good and support a cause you care about.
- These tend to be a bit less competitive, so you might have a higher chance of securing a role.
Cons
- These are often unpaid.
- These can be stressful, especially if you’re working with vulnerable people or animals.
Government internships
Do you have ambitions of becoming a political leader? Government agencies and departments offer internships to provide participants with a unique understanding of our laws and policies.
Pros
- This is great for your resume, especially if you have ambitions of working for a government agency in the future.
- You might get to meet some very influential people.
- These tend to be paid, with some government internship programs lasting 12 months or more.
Cons
- They’re highly competitive.
- You might need to relocate. A lot of government internships are in major cities such as Washington or New York.
- You’ll need to do a lot of paperwork and may require security clearance and other background checks.
Informal internships
These are internships that aren’t advertised. Interns find these positions by cold applying in the hope that it might prompt an organization to assess their current staffing needs.
Pros
- Getting frustrated by endless applications? This could be a great way of finding some vital work experience.
- You can choose exactly who you’d want to work for.
Cons
- As this won’t be something a company has planned for, payment opportunities are limited.
- You’ll need to send a lot of cold applications to get a response.
- There are no guarantees that a company wants an intern.
Need to know more about internships? Our complete guide to internships covers everything from writing a great cover letter to some of the best-paid internships on the market.
Ready to find your dream internship? We have well over 200,000 internships advertised here.