Choosing between an internship or a job is a common question for anyone about to leave high school and enter college. Although such a decision boils down to only two options, in practice, it involves several consequences for the student’s trajectory.
As they are still young, college students need to weigh two situations in the initial phase of building their careers: on the one hand, professional experience; on the other hand, the financial life itself.
From now on, it is important to point out that there is no ready answer to this question, as the final choice will depend on the reality experienced by the student. Even so, know that both possibilities have positives and negatives.
To help you identify the most suitable option for your career, here are the pros and cons of choosing between an internship or a job. Check out!
Internship or job: which one to choose?
Advantages of an internship
In a very competitive labor market, lack of experience can be a major obstacle for young people to get a job. Faced with this barrier, many people ask themselves: how to get practice in the area of expertise, if you are not given the opportunity to train?
Undoubtedly, this is one of the difficulties of the young person who has just left college. After all, he will have to compete for jobs with people who already have several positions on their resumes.
To overcome this challenge, university students have the option of doing an internship during college. In this case, he can get in touch with the day-to-day activities of the field and, thus, combine theory and practice.
The internship also helps the student to retain the knowledge learned in college and to make better use of the classes.
From the point of view of the labor market, having one or several internships on the curriculum weighs in favor of the candidate for a job vacancy, as it demonstrates the professional’s interest in improving himself.
In addition, this type of activity allows university students to develop the so-called “network”, which for now can be understood as building a network of relationships. With this, young people can make professional contacts and, consequently, facilitate the acquisition of a permanent job after graduation.
Disadvantages of an internship
After completing high school, it is normal for students to want independence, which is often linked to having their own source of income.
Buy whatever you want, go on trips, go to events, etc. are common desires of young people. However, it is likely that the money received in an internship, as a scholarship, will not be enough for this wish list.
If the young person is still responsible for paying for college , housing, transportation and food, the internship practically makes all of this unfeasible, after all, it almost always does not offer a salary according to traditional standards.
In addition, the internship may not be favorable when the company in question is not concerned with the university student’s education, but only wants to have labor. In this case, the student fails to obtain additional knowledge, to only fulfill tasks, without adequate professional guidance.
Advantages of a university job
The pace of life today is much faster compared to the way your parents and grandparents lived. Nowadays, people are in a hurry to get certain achievements, like owning a car, a house or an apartment, etc.
For university students, it is often difficult to wait four or five years to study, only to acquire goods later and start structuring their lives. At this stage, young people may feel somewhat “frustrated” at seeing many people leaving them “behind”.
It is true that college is a period of “planting” a successful professional career , so that later the long-awaited fruits can be “harvested”.
Even so, many young people prefer to have a steady job, either through a contract through the Consolidation of Labor Laws (CLT) or even through public tenders, so that they can have their own source of income.
In these cases, employment provides greater freedom for the young person to make decisions, including with regard to personal life, such as getting married.
In addition, conventional employment provides labor rights that do not exist in the internship, such as the Severance Indemnity Fund (FGTS), the possibility of salary bonuses, prior notice in the event of non-voluntary dismissal, thirteenth salary, among others. It is worth remembering that vacations can be enjoyed by both CLT employees and interns.
Disadvantages of a university job
The college period is known for demanding dedication and discipline from the student, after all, it is necessary to attend classes, read books, do academic work, take tests, participate in congresses and seminars, etc.
In this sense, in order not only to have a satisfactory learning experience but also to obtain the grades required for approval, young people need enough time to study. However, when you have a steady job, usually lasting eight hours a day, it is difficult to reconcile the two activities.
Not that this is impossible, but university students need to be well organized to fulfill all commitments and also take care of their own health, as this routine can weaken immunity and even open gaps for diseases.
As you can see, internships or employment involve strengths and weaknesses, so there is no single decision for all cases. It is up to the student to analyze their own reality, in addition to planning for the future, to make the most appropriate choice for their career.
In addition, it is likely that the young person can have both experiences during college, since the duration of a degree is relatively long.
