{"id":3998,"date":"2023-07-25T14:42:24","date_gmt":"2023-07-25T14:42:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/?p=3998"},"modified":"2023-10-12T13:04:00","modified_gmt":"2023-10-12T13:04:00","slug":"different-types-of-internships","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/different-types-of-internships\/","title":{"rendered":"What are the different types of internships?"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Internships can be a fantastic way for students and early career professionals to get work experience and develop their skills. <\/p>\n<p>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\u2019ll find here in the US and the pros and cons of each. <\/p>\n<h2>Traditional internships<\/h2>\n<p>Let\u2019s 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. <\/p>\n<p>A traditional internship is normally offered by a for-profit corporate organization. They can be paid or unpaid, and some may offer academic credit. <\/p>\n<p>The whole aim of an internship is for the person to gain experience in their field of interest. <\/p>\n<div class=\"proscons\">\n<div class=\"pros\">\n<h4>Pros<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Valuable work experience and skills to add to your resume.<\/li>\n<li>Can help someone to explore a new industry without committing to a permanent job.<\/li>\n<li>A way of getting to know your strengths and weaknesses.<\/li>\n<li>This can lead to a permanent job opportunity <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"cons\">\n<h4>Cons<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>They\u2019re not always remunerated. <\/li>\n<li>They\u2019re not always for academic credit.<\/li>\n<li>They\u2019re competitive. <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Internships by remuneration<\/h2>\n<p>There are three main types of internships when we categorize them by remuneration. Paid, unpaid, and partially paid. <\/p>\n<h3>Paid internships<\/h3>\n<p>These internships are salaried or paid hourly and are particularly common in professional, high-paying fields, such as law, medicine, finance, and accounting. <\/p>\n<div class=\"proscons\">\n<div class=\"pros\">\n<h4>Pros<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>You can earn while getting work experience, especially important to students from lower-income backgrounds.<\/li>\n<li>These tend to be very prestigious so they\u2019re great for your resume!<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"cons\">\n<h4>Cons<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Wow, these are hard to come by. You\u2019ll have to work hard to get a paid internship. You\u2019ll probably be expected to complete some unpaid internships first to show employers that you have experience.<\/li>\n<li>They don\u2019t always provide the same level of academic credit as unpaid internships. <\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Unpaid internships<\/h3>\n<p>Don\u2019t 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. <\/p>\n<p>Some of these internships will cover expenses such as food and transportation. <\/p>\n<div class=\"proscons\">\n<div class=\"pros\">\n<h4>Pros<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Some unpaid internships provide academic credits.<\/li>\n<li>As you are unpaid, your employer might reward you with great networking opportunities, introductions to potential employers, and written references.<\/li>\n<li>They can be a great foot in the door if you haven\u2019t got much work experience.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"cons\">\n<h4>Cons<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>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.<\/li>\n<li>You\u2019ll have to commit a lot of time and effort for no payment.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Partially-paid internships<\/h3>\n<p>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. <\/p>\n<div class=\"proscons\">\n<div class=\"pros\">\n<h4>Pros<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Remuneration and the tasks and role are set out in advance.<\/li>\n<li>Financial support makes this internship more accessible.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"cons\">\n<h4>Cons<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Payment is normally less than a paid internship.<\/li>\n<li>They\u2019re still really competitive.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Internships alongside college<\/h2>\n<p>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. <\/p>\n<h3>Work research<\/h3>\n<p>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\u2019ll be expected to explore. These opportunities will usually be part of your studies, and arranged by your university. <\/p>\n<div class=\"proscons\">\n<div class=\"pros\">\n<h4>Pros<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>You gain academic credits, and often either a stipend or payment to reward this work.<\/li>\n<li>This can be great ahead of postgraduate studies, or it might help you to gain a job offer from the company you are researching.<\/li>\n<li>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.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"cons\">\n<h4>Cons<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>These internships are hard work and a lot of responsibility.<\/li>\n<li>You\u2019ll probably need expertise in a specific area such as science, maths, or computer science.<\/li>\n<li>They don\u2019t always provide compensation.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Co-op internships<\/h3>\n<p>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. <\/p>\n<div class=\"proscons\">\n<div class=\"pros\">\n<h4>Pros<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>These give you long-term access to a company and a role.<\/li>\n<li>You\u2019ll build really strong relationships with the employer, which could lead to full-time work.<\/li>\n<li>This is a very structured program, which is beneficial for people who are new to the workforce.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"cons\">\n<h4>Cons<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>There\u2019s not a lot of flexibility. Once you\u2019re on one of these programs you have to see it through to the end, or you might have to retake a year of college.<\/li>\n<li>These aren\u2019t open to all students. You\u2019ll need to have enrolled in a specific program.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Internships by location<\/h2>\n<p>There are three main locations of work. Local\/domestic, international, and remote. It\u2019s vitally important to spend time thinking about the best location of work for you. <\/p>\n<h3>Local\/domestic internships<\/h3>\n<p>Involve doing an internship here in the US. You can spend time in another city or stay local to your home or college. <\/p>\n<div class=\"proscons\">\n<div class=\"pros\">\n<h4>Pros<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>No need to relocate (unless you want to explore a new city)<\/li>\n<li>You don\u2019t need to worry about work visas.<\/li>\n<li>You don\u2019t need to learn a language.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"cons\">\n<h4>Cons<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>If you\u2019re an overseas student that is studying in the US, doing an internship here might need a different visa.<\/li>\n<li>If you spend time interning in a new city, you must factor in rent, bills, and transportation.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3>International internships<\/h3>\n<p>Ever dreamt of spending time living overseas? Is Emily in Paris your career icon? Well, there are a lot of opportunities to intern overseas. <\/p>\n<p>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. <\/p>\n<div class=\"proscons\">\n<div class=\"pros\">\n<h4>Pros<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>You\u2019ll experience a new culture, and potentially pick up some handy language skills.<\/li>\n<li>It\u2019s great for your resume &#8211; you\u2019ll be demonstrating \u201cglobal awareness\u201d to future employers.<\/li>\n<li>You\u2019ll grow a lot personally too.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"cons\">\n<h4>Cons<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>This is a super pricey option. Although some schemes offer accommodation and even help with travel costs, you definitely won\u2019t come out of this richer.<\/li>\n<li>You\u2019ll probably need to obtain a visa which can take a long time.<\/li>\n<li>You probably won\u2019t 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.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Virtual internships<\/h3>\n<p>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. <\/p>\n<div class=\"proscons\">\n<div class=\"pros\">\n<h4>Pros<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>They can be an affordable option as you don\u2019t need to move, relocate, or pay commuting costs.<\/li>\n<li>These internships tend to offer increased flexibility in terms of the hours and days of work.<\/li>\n<li>You could work for a company overseas.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"cons\">\n<h4>Cons<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>You won\u2019t get that in-person \u201cbuzz\u201d and it might be harder to build a strong relationship with your manager or mentor.<\/li>\n<li>You might not learn as much, as you won\u2019t overhear conversations and meetings.<\/li>\n<li>If you struggle with motivation this is not the internship for you. Got a really distracting roommate? You\u2019ll probably find it hard to get the work you need to do done.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2>Other types of internships<\/h2>\n<p>It\u2019s worth remembering that however exhaustive this list is, internships are unique. Here are some other internships you might like to consider. <\/p>\n<h3>Non-profit internships<\/h3>\n<p>Working with a charity, a non-profit, an advocacy group, or a community organization, these are internships for people who want to do good. <\/p>\n<div class=\"proscons\">\n<div class=\"pros\">\n<h4>Pros<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>As you\u2019ll be part of a smaller team you\u2019ll normally get the chance to try your hand at quite a few things. You\u2019ll get loads of variety!<\/li>\n<li>You\u2019ll get to do good and support a cause you care about.<\/li>\n<li>These tend to be a bit less competitive, so you might have a higher chance of securing a role.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"cons\">\n<h4>Cons<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>These are often unpaid.<\/li>\n<li>These can be stressful, especially if you\u2019re working with vulnerable people or animals.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Government internships<\/h3>\n<p>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. <\/p>\n<div class=\"proscons\">\n<div class=\"pros\">\n<h4>Pros<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>This is great for your resume, especially if you have ambitions of working for a government agency in the future.<\/li>\n<li>You might get to meet some very influential people.<\/li>\n<li>These tend to be paid, with some government internship programs lasting 12 months or more.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"cons\">\n<h4>Cons<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>They\u2019re highly competitive.<\/li>\n<li>You might need to relocate. A lot of government internships are in major cities such as Washington or New York.<\/li>\n<li>You\u2019ll need to do a lot of paperwork and may require security clearance and other background checks.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h3>Informal internships<\/h3>\n<p>These are internships that aren\u2019t advertised. Interns find these positions by cold applying in the hope that it might prompt an organization to assess their current staffing needs. <\/p>\n<div class=\"proscons\">\n<div class=\"pros\">\n<h4>Pros<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>Getting frustrated by endless applications? This could be a great way of finding some vital work experience.<\/li>\n<li>You can choose exactly who you\u2019d want to work for.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<div class=\"cons\">\n<h4>Cons<\/h4>\n<ul>\n<li>As this won\u2019t be something a company has planned for, payment opportunities are limited.<\/li>\n<li>You\u2019ll need to send a lot of cold applications to get a response.<\/li>\n<li>There are no guarantees that a company wants an intern.<\/li>\n<\/ul><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><strong>Need to know more about internships? Our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/ultimate-guide-to-internships\/\">complete guide to internships<\/a> covers everything from writing a great cover letter to some of the best-paid internships on the market. <\/p>\n<p>Ready to find your dream internship? We have well over 200,000 internships advertised <a href=\"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/internship\">here<\/a>. <\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>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<a class=\"moretag\" href=\"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/different-types-of-internships\/\"> Continued \u00bb<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":27,"featured_media":4022,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[123,287],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3998","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-graduates","category-internships"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3998","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/27"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3998"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3998\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4021,"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3998\/revisions\/4021"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/4022"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3998"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3998"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.adzuna.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3998"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}