What your Internship says about you

Did someone say unpaid, 24-hour labour? GIVE IT TO ME PLEASE.


Like the rest of the human population, you are concerned about your future. And rightfully so.

You want to improve your career prospects. You think to yourself “Gosh, I better get that extra step ahead of my competition”. That university degree in Economics just might not be enough anymore. Pad that resume. Pad it well. An internship gives the promise of a better career/life, but the real question is: which of the many opportunities do I jump at to make the most of my 3 month summer?

Well fear not, because here we give you the truth about your chosen summer internship.

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  1. Volunteering Domestically

A resume necessity, but maybe you’re just doing it because you actually care about people. Maybe it’s your local soup kitchen, perhaps an old folks home. Maybe last week you helped an old woman cross the street and thought “Man, that’ll look good on the CV”. Or perhaps you took the plunge and accepted dear old Granny on “The Facebook”.

However you choose to manifest your volunteering, the good people of the world can see that you too are a Samaritan who thinks of others before themselves. Job well done, sir.

  1. Volunteering Abroad

Not only do you want to achieve all of the above, but you also have that magic ingredient- Money! So whilst gullible old Dad pays for you to pop to Kenya for a couple of months, you look forward to coming back and letting everyone else know about how the trip has been “life-changing”. It’s possible that you’ll arrive back with a whole new perspective on life. You’ll start incorporating “exotic” words such as Jambo into your everyday vocabulary.

One thing is for certain, you’ll have a super cute picture of yourself surrounded by smiling orphans to make as your cover photo. Then everyone will know just how kind hearted and selfless a person you truly are.

  1. Big City Internship

You know what you want. And although the rent is extortionate and the pay is low, you know that you are that step ahead in securing your post-degree job on Wall Street. But beware- cue a life full of Starbucks orders, paperwork and syncing work and personal calendars (think Anne Hathaway in Devil Wears Prada).

This job was probably difficult to land, and you probably had to go through numerous interviews, applications, assault courses and demeaning tasks to get it. But at least come September you can say it was worth it! Right…?

  1. Paid Internship

These exist? The lucky ones amongst us may discover that we can gain both experience and an income. What’s not to like? Congratulations for not succumbing to cleverly disguised slave labour like the rest of us. You reserve the right to feel smug over your achievements this summer. As two people who have never acquired such a great internship, we can somewhat look up to you. Drinks are on you next semester.

  1. The Weird Eco-Friendly Farm

You probably haven’t washed your hair in a while, have you? You like things that grow in the ground, and you could tell us all a thing or two about the best techniques when it comes to milking a goat.

  1. Working for your Dad

You never quite got your applications in, did you? Maybe your Dad owns a small business; maybe he’s the CEO of some big brand corporation. Either way he has a shadow, and you’re hiding under it. You file the paperwork; he pays you in gift vouchers. You’ll resent him as you drive silently to work together. He’ll ask you if you want to grab a coffee and you’ll decline in order to impress others at the water cooler. In the future you’ll look back on those months and laugh, or you’ll discuss them in depth with your therapist.

Either way, it’s still better than unemployment…