Let’s be real: unpaid internships are the ultimate paradox. They promise so much—experience, connections, the chance to finally add something impressive to that resume—but often deliver very little in return…except stress, exhaustion and a generous helping of “why am I doing this?” We’ve all been there, caught in the whirlwind of internship hunting, staring at countless listings that sound perfect… until you reach the dreaded “unpaid” label. Suddenly, your dreams of landing the ideal position feel like they’ve been dashed and yet, you still apply because, well, that’s just what you do.
Internship listings are often full of high expectations. They want someone who’s not only a skilled multitasker but also has a background in something only a few people could have possibly mastered. They seek applicants who are “self-starters,” “passionate” and “creative thinkers”—but who also know exactly how to use every industry tool ever invented. The catch? They want you to bring all this to the table for the low, low price of zero dollars—because, apparently, “experience” is enough currency to survive in the real world.
At first, you’re full of optimism. You tell yourself, “It’s fine. It’s just a couple of months. I’ll work hard, get some cool references and then land that dream job with the nice paycheck.” But when the break finally rolls around and you’re the one still stuck working, it hits you. Your friends are off traveling, spending time with family or just doing literally anything else that doesn’t involve spending an entire holiday season hunched over a laptop for nothing more than the promise of a potential LinkedIn recommendation.
There’s the added layer of mental gymnastics that comes with working for free. You start with the understanding that internships are supposed to be “learning experiences”—but there’s a fine line between learning and being taken advantage of. If you’re putting in hours upon hours of your precious time without a paycheck, it can feel less like an opportunity and more like a chore you’re doing out of sheer desperation. It’s tough to keep the “I’m learning valuable skills!” pep talk going when you’re doing the same repetitive task for the fifth time because no one else is around to pick up the slack.
And let’s talk about the workload. If you’ve ever been on the receiving end of an internship task that’s borderline menial, you know exactly what I’m talking about. Sure, everyone wants to “build their portfolio,” but when you’re spending more time making coffee runs than making meaningful contributions, it starts to feel like you’re just there to fill a seat. It’s not about experience anymore; it’s about labor—with none of the rewards.
Even worse? The guilt trip. You’ve probably heard it: “This is what the industry expects. If you don’t have unpaid internship experience, good luck!” So you convince yourself to stick it out. Maybe it will lead to something more. Maybe. The anxiety starts building as you wonder if all this unpaid labor is somehow worth more than the actual paycheck you need to survive.
But here’s the twist: for all the stress, the endless applications and the sacrifices, internships—paid or unpaid—still offer something valuable. They give you insights into industries, open doors and introduce you to networks you would never have encountered otherwise. However, that doesn’t change the fact that the whole process feels like being caught in a cycle of unpaid labor with no clear escape in sight. Interns are constantly told that the reward will come, but the now is full of sleepless nights and scrambling to balance everything, all for the sake of that one shiny bullet point on your resume.
So, what’s the takeaway from this unpaid internship saga? It’s simple: we need to change the game. Experience should be rewarded and students should be respected for their time, energy and skills. Until that happens, though, we’ll keep applying, keep grinding and keep hoping that next year’s internship will finally come with a paycheck. Maybe then we’ll get the “experience” we’ve been promised—and the paycheck we actually deserve.
