How can you get a job without experience? When people think of internships, they often relate them to money. Most internships in high school and college are experience only. But why? The definition of internships is the position of a student or trainee who works in an organization, sometimes without pay, in order to gain work experience or satisfy requirements for a qualification. Notice that key part, “in order to gain work experience.”

​​Employers want to make sure they are hiring people whose abilities match the task at hand but missing previous experiences they have to rely on proxies: education credentials, awards, letters of recommendation, extracurricular activities, interviews, etc. Even if those all look good, a candidate will likely set more costs than returns, as far as he learns his work.

However, unpaid internships have come under fire in recent years. Many opponents see unpaid internships as unfair and prejudiced. “Internships are nothing but a way for companies to exploit
young people for free labor” has become a common concept among progressives.

The NACE study that found unpaid internships negatively impacted how long it takes a student to find a job after graduation, also found positive results. The study found that unpaid internships help confirm or reject interest in a career, help set career goals, and positively benefit networking.

Consider this. You often learn more in an internship than in the classroom. College can teach you plenty about work, but there is a vast realm that simply falls outside of its scope. Courses are often too academic, out of date, and sometimes useless. A social philosopher and economist Friedrich Hayek pointed out that there is knowledge that cannot be put into words and transmitted in a classroom. No one reads a manual to learn how to ride a bike; rather, someone teaches you by demonstration and trial and error.

Bottom line, internships are fantastic tools to gain experience in a profession. Should internships pay their interns? The overall answer is no. Experience and knowledge surpass any amount you earn in an internship. Sure, it’s nice to earn some money but you have to look at the big picture.