Unpaid Or Uninspired? How To Choose The Internship That Helps You Grow
If you’re about to start your internship journey, don’t stress too much about finding the “perfect” one. There is no perfect internship.
By Rahul Nainwal
Let’s be honest — not every internship is going to be life-changing. But the right one can push you, shape you, and offer the kind of learning no classroom ever could. That’s why choosing your internship isn’t just a box to tick. It’s a decision that deserves intention and reflection.
At the School of Business, we treat internships as more than just a summer exercise. They are a testing ground. They allow students to discover how they respond to real-world challenges, how they work in teams beyond the classroom, and how they deal with ambiguity, pressure, and expectations. That kind of exposure can sharpen your understanding of what you want — and don’t want — in your career.
Many students ask me the same question: Should I do an internship in my core area, like marketing, finance, or analytics, or should I choose a well-known brand or a place that promises more learning, even if it’s outside my preferred domain? And the honest answer is, there’s no one-size-fits-all solution. But there is a way to think about it.
Get Your Hands Dirty
If you’re still figuring things out, a learning-rich environment might serve you better than simply chasing a title or a logo. But if you’re sure you want to build a career in a particular domain, it makes sense to go deeper and get your hands dirty in that space. The brand matters, of course — especially when you’re starting out — but it’s the quality of the experience that will shape your future more than the name on the letterhead. I’ve seen students grow remarkably in small, lesser-known organisations simply because they were given real responsibility and mentorship.
Then there’s the question of paid versus unpaid internships — another dilemma that many students wrestle with. In an ideal world, all internships would be paid. Your time and work deserve to be valued. And in many industries now, that’s thankfully the norm. But there are situations — especially in early-stage startups, social enterprises, or research-driven organisations — where the internship might be unpaid but still offer exceptional learning. If you find yourself in such a situation, you have to ask: Will I grow here? Will I learn something that will help me take the next step? If the answer is yes, and you can manage the unpaid aspect for a defined time, it might still be worth considering. However, if you’re not learning and not getting paid, then you’re simply being taken advantage of — and that’s not acceptable.
Moments Of Learning
Sometimes, despite all the planning, things don’t go the way you expected. Maybe the work turns out to be repetitive. Maybe there’s no real mentoring. Maybe the organisation promised one thing and delivered another. That’s okay. Not every internship will be perfect. But almost every experience can teach you something if you’re open to it. Look for moments of learning. Seek out people doing interesting work. Offer to help with things that excite you. And when it’s over, take time to reflect. What did you learn about yourself? What did the experience tell you about the kind of work environment you thrive in? These are the questions that help you grow, not just as a professional, but as a person.
Internships are a window into the world of work. They help you build networks, confidence, and clarity. Whether you find yourself in a boardroom or on a shop floor, at a multinational or a bootstrapped startup, what matters most is that you take the experience seriously — and use it to sharpen your sense of direction.
I’ve seen students return from internships changed — more confident, more self-aware, more grounded. And I’ve also seen students learn that what they thought they wanted wasn’t what they were meant for, which, in its own way, is just as valuable.
So, if you’re about to start your internship journey, don’t stress too much about finding the “perfect” one. There is no perfect internship.
(The author is the CEO, Runway Incubator and Director, School of Business, UPES)
Disclaimer: The opinions, beliefs, and views expressed by the various authors and forum participants on this website are personal and do not reflect the opinions, beliefs, and views of ABP Network Pvt. Ltd.
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