What the unpaid internship doesn't pay in cash, it's supposed to pay in work experience.
For the past year, the benefits that unpaid internships offer have been under great speculation.
Often, graduating college seniors with at least one unpaid internship under their belts are told they have the "upper hand" over their peers. The National Association of Colleges and Employers, however, have another opinion.
Last June, the NACE revealed internship research it'd been conducting for three years, and the verdict is in: unpaid internships don't lead to more job offers. In 2013, only 37 percent of the college seniors who had completed an unpaid internship received a job offer by the time of graduation. Thirty-five percent of students without an internship got a job offer just the same.
Is a whopping two percent difference worth the unpaid time and effort? Regardless of these statistics, the Auburn University Career Center thinks so.
"It all depends on the actual internship," said Nancy Bernard, director of the AU Career Center. "The unpaid internship is a really fuzzy area. It all depends on the student, the employer and academia. If the student is an intern, but doesn't do anything where they get anything career-related, it's not going to be as strong an internship as others that do offer that experience. It all varies."
The NACE's statistics may be something to consider, but Bernard advises students to hold on before jumping on the anti-internship wagon.
"Organizations conduct research all the time, but you never know the specifics," Bernard said. "For example, when collecting this data, what majors did they [the NACE] focus on? How many places did these candidates apply for jobs? Did these students have internships that provided adequate experience, or were they just making coffee runs? Every student and internship and opportunity is unique. You can't just group them all together like that."
Jay Skipworth, the assistant director of employer relations at the career center, said he agrees.
"I participated in several [unpaid internships] when I was an undergraduate," Skipworth said. "It helped me build my skill set, and was a chance for me to learn on the job. I don't know what job I'd have without them. They definitely helped me get where I am today."
Real-world Auburn graduates have similar internship success stories every day.
"Recently, we interviewed several applicants for our open positions who were still in college," said Auburn alumni Brent Pittman, a member of the Inbound Marketing Team with OPUBCO Communications Group. "Those who had internships within related fields rose to the top for our consideration."
Regardless of any negative internship claims, Pittman believes internships are a college student's best bet.
"Without relevant work experience, you are really at a disadvantage with the surplus of college graduates on the market," Pittman advised. "An internship in your chosen field can provide basic skills and begin to grow your network of contacts. It's like asking someone on a date - you've got nothing to lose."
With the NACE's statistics aside, whether an internship will help a college graduate get a job depends on the field, market and the opportunity itself.
"An internship is what you make of it ," Bernard said. "Go into one with goals and ideas how you can increase your background to make you attractive to your future employer. Be an active intern. Today, the opportunities for experience-hungry students are endless, but that doesn't make every opportunity a good one."
Fortunately for Auburn students, the career center offers individual advice about whether an internship is beneficial or not.
"Unpaid internships can definitely help, but one thing we emphasize is the criteria it needs to meet," Skipworth said. "If you're unsure about what makes an unpaid internship a beneficial experience, ask yourself these questions: 'Will I receive actual training similar to an newly hired employee?' 'Am I working under close supervision of staff?' and, 'Does the employer that is providing this training not profit from my work as an intern? If you answered 'yes' to each of these criteria, the opportunity sounds like a good one to me."
Students who are still unsure about a prospective internship are encouraged to make an appointment at the Auburn University Career Center in Mary Martin Hall.
"If you ever have questions about your internship opportunity, bring it here to us at the career center," Skipworth said. "That's what we do. We look at every kind and every major. Set up an appointment to talk to one of our career counselors. We'll always be glad to look at your situation and tell you whether it's the kind of opportunity you should be looking for, and yes, internships are those kinds of opportunities. We want to help Auburn students succeed. That's why we're here."
To make an appointment at the career center, visit the main office at 303 Mary Martin Hall from 12 to 4 pm on weekdays, or call (334) 844-4744.
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