How to Make The Most of an Unpaid Internship

Internships can be a stepping stone for college students to transition from school to a career. Internships can be paid or unpaid. Usually, unpaid internships can be found at smaller organizations or in fields with smaller profit margins. However, in poor economic times, many formerly paid internships quickly transition to unpaid. If you have an unpaid internship, although you will not be compensated monetarily, you can certainly profit from the experience.

Instructions

1. Perform all of your tasks to the best of your abilities. Doing so will reflect positively on you and give your boss a positive impression. Go out of your way demonstrate to your boss that you appreciate the internship and are a hard worker. Do more than what is asked of you and do not cut corners.

2. Network with the organization's employees and other individuals. Get to know your fellow employees on a personal level. Many jobs are obtained due to personal connections. Establishing these connections during your internship. If you have the opportunity, attend lunches and any other social gatherings the organization holds to expand your networking circle.

3. Learn about what is not taught in school. During your internship, be as open as possible to learning new information and new ways of doing things. Your internship is an opportunity for you to learn how things are done in the "real world" as opposed to in an academic environment.

References

• "Hello Real World!: A Student's Approach to Great Internships Co-Ops and Entry Level Positions"; Jengyee Liang; 2006
• "The Intern Files: How to Get, Keep and Make the Most of Your Internship"; Jamie Fedorko, et al.; 2006