When faced with limited or no options for traditional in-person internships, you may consider remote or virtual internships. Many of these opportunities are legitimate and provide good experiences. Here are some things to consider when evaluating these opportunities:
Converted Internships:
Employers who normally offered internships may have converted their internship to a remote version. The experience may be fewer hours but still allows you to gain experience. Review the internship posting and ask questions in an interview about how the remote experience is different from their typical internship. You may also want to check reviews in Handshake, Glassdoor, or other sites to see if this organization is known for quality internships.
New Internships:
Some organizations are finding that they need more help during this time and like the idea of starting an internship program. Sadly, others may use this time to prey upon students seeking experience. Research both the employer and opportunity to make sure that it is legitimate.
1. Research the employer.
- Does the organization have a website and physical address? Are contacts using an organization email or a personal email? Although legitimate organizations may not have a web or physical presence, be cautious if you are not able to learn about them.
- Does the employer contact you versus you contacting them? If an employer is reaching out to you and does not reference specific information on your resume or LinkedIn profile that demonstrates that you have skills they are seeking, you may want to be extra careful. You should be able to call, email, or video chat with the specific recruiter to talk about the opportunity and organization.
- The employer should not ask for personal information such as a photo, social security number, driver's license, or financial information until you are hired.
- Do a web search of the organization and "scam" (i.e. Acme Company Scam) to see if they were noted in scam or Better Business Bureau reports.
2. Research the opportunity.
- Internships should provide opportunities for you to learn as well as support the organization.
- Be concerned if the posting includes spelling and grammatical errors or does not provide the employer name.
- Also be cautious if the opportunity indicates a compensation higher than the average compensation for that position type, often for very little work. For example, there have been recent emails about people wanting to hire dog walkers at $300 a week.
- Some fraudulent opportunities ask for your credit card or bank account numbers, or other personal financial documentation. They may require an initial investment, such as a payment by wire service or courier. Or they may offer a large payment in exchange for allowing the use of your bank account or offer to send you a check before you do any work.
Internship Placement Organizations:
There are some organizations that match you with internships, for a fee. Reputable ones have been around for many years and have strong relationships with employers. Others are new to providing this service, which makes it more difficult to determine their legitimacy. A few considerations:
1. Research the provider through similar methods as you would do with employers. Organizations that offer international internships can also be researched through the UNL Education Abroad MyWorld site.
2. Check the program and application fees (which may range from $500 to $15,000) and determine if the virtual experience is worth the cost you pay. Ask if application and program fees are refundable if they are not able to find an appropriate virtual experience for you.
3. Some providers may be hosted by organizations in other countries; convert fees to U.S. dollars to understand the whole cost.
4. If the organization is promising that the internship will provide academic credit, check with your academic advisor to ensure that UNL will accept that credit.
If you are uncertain about a remote or virtual internship, schedule an appointment with a career coach in the Business Career Center on MyPlan or by calling 402-472-7272.