Although the idea of unpaid internships can be daunting, they can be an essential step in moving forward in a career. It can be challenging to find the perfect one for you, but with an in-depth search, it’s perfectly doable.
1—The unpaid aspect of an internship can help you find out if you’re passionate about the career field. If you want to find a career path that you really love and will not get tired of, doing it for free is a great start. It’s the true test of whether your interest in the field lies in the money or the work itself. Internships offer the opportunity to find out if the path you’re on is what you want to do forever, or if you need to seek out a different calling.
2—Internships are the perfect opportunity to make connections and find contacts in the profession. In an internship, the opportunity to form relationships with other people in the field, as well as vendors, constantly presents itself. These connections you form will not only put you a step ahead in your career, but will give you options and contacts to reach out to for future events. They can also recommend you to potential employers.
 
3—The experience an internship grants you looks great on a resumé. Practical experience in your field of choice can be the difference between a job offer or rejection. If you’ve had a crash course on the job criteria, companies are more likely to hire you. It makes you easier to train and can lead to the company being more successful. An unpaid internship shows potential employers that you have a great passion for the field, and so much that you did the work for free.
4—You can get a glimpse at what a typical work day for you might look like. Sometimes how you picture a job is not how it turns out to be. For instance, the job of an event planner might look glamorous, but in reality, there is a fair amount of physical labor and long days behind putting the perfect event or wedding together. Being an intern gives you an unfiltered look at what a career requires daily. This might change your mind about your career path, and it could also prove to solidify what you want to do for the rest of your life.
5—Sometimes, unpaid internships can turn into immediate job offers. In many instances, if an intern does a phenomenal job in a business, the owner will consider hiring them full-time. Many employees of the company that you work with might tell you that they were previously interns as well. Doing the best you can in that position and fully dedicating yourself can warrant you your dream job.
Although it can feel unrewarding to work in unpaid internships, the result is anything but worthless. Whether they are paid or unpaid, internships are priceless in the workplace.
How has your internship experience affected your career? Comment below with your thoughts.Â
