In recently graduated and professional within your industry, choosing between a job and an internship opportunity can be an important step for you career moving forward. Both of these professional experiences allow gaining industrial knowledge or enhancing your qualifications. The difference between a job and an internship, discuss the benefits for selecting a job, discuss the benefits of choosing an internship and provide a list of steps to help you choice between a job and an internship as your next career move.

How to choose between a job and an internship

Select between a job and an internship requires weighing the pros and cons of each in relation to your current financial needs and career goals. Here is a list of steps to help guide you through the process for selecting either job or an internship such as:

1. Communicate with companies about negotiable terms

Whether you want to pursue a job and an internship, it is important to communicate with your potential employer and internship provider to see how they can accommodate you. For instance: this would be if you wanted to accept an unpaid internship offer but needed a way to make money at the same time. Consulting with the internship provider about if they are open to offering payment and whether they can offer a more flexible schedule for you to complete a part-time job simultaneously can aid your decision-making.

2. Review standard methods for career development within your field

Before selecting between a job and an internship, consider the standard ways that individuals start or develop of their careers within a particular job field/industry. For instance, for those wanting to pursue a career in finance and economics, an internship can help connect them with potential employers and help them gain experience in a competitive field. Therefore, it is important that you research potential ways to get into your desired career field.

3. Compare the benefits of both to your current situation

Many college students who needs additional finances and college student who qualifies for the certain professional positions may be better off pursuing job opportunities. For many cases, these individuals have the ability to find jobs within their career field. This includes education majors getting jobs as teaching assistants, law students getting jobs as paralegals and English majors getting a receptionist job at a publishing company.

4. Consider your finances

When selecting the right professional opportunities, it is important about your financial needs and whether they align with those opportunities. For example, if you are a recently college graduate who does not have a job, you may want to look for paid internship opportunities or entry-level job positions. In contrast, if you currently hold a part-time job and live at home, you might have more financial flexibility to pursue an unpaid internship.

5. Speak with a mentor figure

Make use of your professional connections within your job field such as family members, professors, family friends, and local business owners, to gain beneficial insights into how they achieved their career goals. They may also be able to help you weigh your options and make a well-educated decision about whether to pursue a job versus an internship.

What is the difference between a job and an internship?

There are many varieties of differences that separate a job from an internship. Here are some examples for differences between a job and an internship to help you compare your options and you are easily select:

• Qualifications: Internships and jobs also differ level of qualifications required. Internships usually provide entry-level professional experiences to high school students, college students or recent graduates. Jobs have a range for qualifications necessary, depending on the type of employment such as current enrollment in high school, college and collegial degree.
• Payment: Jobs typically offer payment to individuals through an hourly rate or salaried based employment. Internships can be paid and unpaid. Whether interns receive payment depends on the employer's preferences and whether they have previous professional experience in the field.
• Length: Typically, jobs tend to be more long-term opportunities apart from the seasonal work, providing individuals with work opportunities for annually, if they maintain of their performance. In contrast, internships typically previous a few months to a year to provide individuals with professional experience.

Benefits of a job

Having a job can present individuals with various benefits relating to security, a better sense of self and career advancement. Here are some benefits such as:

Enhances your professional resume

Completing one or more internships before, during and after your college experience demonstrates to employers that you not only have professional experience in a similar setting, but you also have a passion for their industry. In addition to collegial degrees and other work experience, this relevant professional experience helps level you against other applicants and achieve your career goals.

Provides financial stability and benefits

Whether a job pays by the hour or with an annual salary, it offers a sense of financial security and helps professionals pay bills, rent and purchase homes and maintain of their quality of life. If the job offers employee benefits, professionals also receive important items such as PTO, health insurance, disability coverage or 401(k) plans.

The development of professional skills to promote career advancement

Jobs help professionals develop interpersonal or technical skills that allow them to pursue more advanced opportunities with other companies. They can also receive free job training and certification courses that help them advance their knowledge of workplace communication or a particular job task.

Gives individuals opportunities for internal advancement

Depending on the company, certain jobs provide professionals with the opportunity for internal advancement overtime. This is especially for helpful to those who would otherwise need to earn an additional degree and certification to pursue a role at the managerial level, as it allows them to prove themselves through their work ethic.

Benefits of an internship

Internships offer students and entry-level professionals valuable insights into a job field and its requirements. Here are various ways people can benefit from pursuing internship opportunities:

Serves as a trial period for a potential career path

Internships give individuals the ability to participate in a real-life professional environment. By completing job tasks, engaging with other professionals and observing the inner workings of a job field, interns can make important decisions about whether to continue pursuing a certain degree or job title.

Provides college credit for students

For high school graduates of current college students, internships can count as college credit that counts toward graduation requirements. Students who complete multiple internships may be able to graduate early and complete more advanced courses depending on their institution's guidelines.

Encourages professional networking

Although not all internships provide payment to interns, they provide interns with the opportunity to get to know other interns and industry professionals in a job environment. This is important as it gives them contacts for future jobs and business initiatives.