Paid or unpaid internship: what to choose as a beginner

Money isn't the only currency

On a first internship you pay in time and get experience, a mentor and a reference. Sometimes money comes with it, sometimes not. The problem isn't being unpaid — it's getting nothing in return.

What should come back for unpaid work

Check before agreeing:

• A mentor. A specific person you can take questions to. Not "the team will help" — a name.
• Real tasks. Not "tidy up this contact list", but work whose result reaches the product.
• Feedback. Regular reviews of what you produce. Without them growth is accidental.
• A defined end date. Two or three months. An open-ended unpaid internship isn't an internship.
• A reference at the end. Agree this at the start, not on your last day.

If half of these are missing, you aren't an intern — you're free hands.

When unpaid makes sense

• At a non-profit that genuinely has no money but real work.
• In a small team where you'll see the whole process end to end.
• At a company known for teaching well and selecting competitively.

When to walk away

• The tasks have nothing to do with the profession.
• There's no mentor and you're told to figure it out yourself.
• No end date, or one that keeps moving.
• You're asked to sign something restricting you after you leave.

A third option

If the choice is between "unpaid with no teaching" and "nothing", there's a third path: assemble a team and build something. No money, but the same things people go to internships for — tasks, working with others, and a result you can show.

And unlike a dubious internship, nobody controls your time but you.