Considering a Micro-Internship? Start Here.
Internships are a great way to gain experience to further your career and open more job opportunities. Sometimes they are paid, but often they are not. When considering your options, make sure you add micro-internships to your list. These are short-term, paid, project-based internships that encourage you to put your skills to work while building your network. Here are some things to keep in mind when considering a micro-internship.
Why a Micro-Internship over the traditional route?
The biggest reason students and graduates should consider a micro-internship over traditional internships, externships or co-ops is flexibility. Micro-internships offer shorter project-based commitments allowing you to try multiple fields of interest. They're also shorter in time, so you aren't tied to the academic calendar or application periods.
Micro-internships also make accessibility possible for more people as it alleviates the extra cost of internships, such as moving to a new location.
“80% of students hired for Micro-Internships come from underrepresented backgrounds, including first-generation, BIPOC and international students.”
How Do Micro-Internships Work?
The work you'll do in a micro-internship is very similar to the work you'd do as a new hire or a traditional intern. They are available year-round and typically require five to 40 hours of work in a one-week to one-month time frame. All companies can benefit from offering micro-internships, and they expand across all departments. Some popular ones include sales, marketing, technology and human resources.
“Micro-Internships are open to all majors and levels — from business or hard sciences to liberal arts or master’s candidates.”
What are the benefits of micro-internships?
Micro-internships benefit prospective employees and their future employers. The transition from college to a career can be challenging for all students. In a 2018 survey by McGraw-Hill, less than half of college students felt prepared for their future careers. Over half (51%) of the students surveyed mentioned more internships and professional experiences, which micro-internships can help.
Another great benefit of micro-internships is they connect a diverse body of applicants with employers. They also give employers more options to consider potential employees they may have overlooked or not had access to.
Micro-internships also benefit companies – which may be a bargaining chip if you want to approach a company about them – by reducing their attrition rates and the cost of bringing on a traditional intern. For example, a 10-week intern paid $15 an hour would cost the company $6,000. Along with the payroll cost, they would also need a place or equipment to work remotely and people to hire, train and manage. Micro-interns cost between $200 and $600 in payroll through Parker Dewey, and they don't require the same resources or management as an intern. Most new graduates leave their first job within two years, where a micro-internship could serve as a trial period, decreasing the turnover rate.
How to Find Micro-Internships
The pioneer of micro-internships, Parker Dewey, hosts a platform for micro-internship opportunities across all areas and departments. They attract companies of various sizes from different industries; you can see examples of them here.
Registration is free and quick, and all the internships available on their platform pay a fixed rate. Parker Dewey also has an evaluation process that can help prospective employers find an intern they've worked with in the past if a full-time position becomes available.
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