The economy is sagging, and businesses often can't afford to pay interns. It is also becoming harder to find a job without a resume full of prior experience.
Unpaid internships seem to be many businesses' solution to their lack of funds, and the internships give students experience to add to their resumes.
"In general, post-graduation in current economic times, I think it can be advantageous to do an unpaid internship," said Katie Mantooth, career counselor. "For some companies, it's a free way for them to check someone out, and someone who has been trained has a leg up on someone who is coming from the outside."
Mantooth said students cannot afford to expect a job upon graduation with no experience.
"Five years ago, we had students who were getting signing bonuses, and we had waiting lists for our career expos," Mantooth said. "That's not the case today. In the fall we'll probably be going back to a one-day career fair because we just don't have the interest."
Sometimes, people have to find creative ways to earn money and do the internship, Mantooth said.
"If it means waitressing at night so you can get that experience during the day, that is worth it," Mantooth said. "You're not wasting your time."
With so many people losing jobs, Mantooth said it was also important that adults remember to be flexible as well.
"So many of the jobs that have been lost will never be replaced, and that career path is no longer an option," Mantooth said.
These adults may have to intern or get another degree to update their skills for the changing job market.
Beth Nuckolls, senior in nursing, has an unpaid internship with Scottish Rite Children's Hospital in Atlanta.
"At first I was really upset that I wasn't getting paid, especially since I'm working a full-time schedule," Nuckolls said. "Now that I've been there and had the experience, I can see both sides. This is part of my course credit to graduate, and the only way for me to learn everything I've done in the classroom is just for me to go out and do it."
Nuckolls said one of the legal reasons the hospital cannot pay her is because she is not a licensed nurse yet.
"I'm not licensed, so the hospital is liable for me, like anything I do is going to fall on their shoulders," Nuckolls said. "I'm still a student, so they can't pay me."
Although it has been hard working a full-time schedule with no compensation, Nuckolls said she is grateful for the experience.
"It's been an awesome experience," Nuckolls said. "I've been exposed to what it's really going to be like for me when I do go out and apply for a job."
The work Nuckolls has put into the internship will most likely benefit her after she graduates and begins looking for other jobs, she said.
"Even if I don't land a job there, I can put this on my resume, and it will look awesome," Nuckolls said. "Any internship, whether it's paid or unpaid is good to put on your resume. And I think it almost speaks more volumes if it's not a paid position, because it shows that you're there and you're doing it because you want the experience, not the money."
Nuckolls is living with her parents to save money during the internship.
She said she also worked a lot in the fall to save money for expenses this semester.
Ryan Proctor, junior in economics, is doing two unpaid internships during the summer, one with a Tennessee congresswoman and one with a law firm in Opelika.
"For an unpaid internship, obviously the primary reason for doing that would be for the experience," Proctor said. "I value the experience gained from the internship more than I do the fraction of money I'd lose from not doing something else like working a summer job."
Proctor said doing an unpaid internship even after graduation may have to be an option for some people because of the economic climate.
Proctor said earning a higher degree is another option he would consider.
"A lot of people are having to go back and get more education or do something like another internship even if it means foregoing getting money now," Proctor said. "Hopefully it will pay off by producing more money in the future."
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