The more choices we are offered, the more difficult it is to make a decision. Completely applicable for choosing an ice cream flavor, a partner, or even an internship. Congratulations on your internship offer, and if you’ve really been hustling, maybe you’ve got more than one to choose from. Choice shouldn’t be debilitating: here are some important factors to consider when picking the best place to invest your time and energy on an internship.
1. Go big. Or small.
While evaluating your internship offers and opportunities, the most important thing consider is how a company will help you grow. It’s tempting to gravitate towards larger companies with established reputations, but be sure to consider growth opportunities within smaller companies as well. Some good points to weigh include: Are there specific people on your team you’re excited to learn from and be mentored by? Which product are you more passionate about? How will this role or particular company help you grow towards your desired full time role?
“At bigger companies, projects are often smaller in scope, but affect a much larger audience,” says Shiva Suri, a senior at the University of Pennsylvania and former intern at AppDynamics. “However, in terms of personal growth, like taking on more responsibility and having to learn more technologies, there’s a lot more to gain from working at a smaller company in your early intern years.”
Evaluate offers based on where you are in your career, not necessarily which name appears more reputable.
“I gained more technical knowledge from working at the startups, whereas working at Slack cemented what I already knew,” says Cole Johnson, a senior at Purdue University and former intern at Slack. “Working at a bigger company like Slack was more of a lesson on dealing with people and working as a team.”
2. Question wisely.
Company culture can make or break an internship experience, but it’s difficult to get a clear grasp during the interview process. Asking if company culture is “good” or “bad” typically returns vague and biased answers. Consider specific aspects of work that are important to you and ask questions to get information, not evaluations. For example, perhaps work life balance is something you prioritize. If you ask your interviewer whether the work life balance is good, they might gush about how great the company is if they enjoy working late or only consider “late” as staying past 8pm. But that would be an evaluation based on their own preferences, not necessarily data to help you make an informed choice about whether you want to work there. Instead, ask: “How many times in the last week did you work past six? What about the rest of your team?” You’ll get an answer that paints a much clearer picture.
Some other thoughtful questions include:
“Tell me about a disagreement that happened within your team.”
“What are some company-wide initiatives supporting people of color and other marginalized groups?”
3. Do the math.
While it’s instinctive to prefer the offer with higher numbers, it’s essential to assess your compensation in the context of your circumstances. For example, if you received a high rate from a company based in San Francisco but aren’t offered corporate housing, how does that stack up against a lower offer from somewhere in another city with cheaper rent? Or, are you willing to sacrifice the cost of living, because you’ve identified a wider breadth of networking opportunities? Are you willing to save money on rent in exchange for a longer commute?
If you’re still pondering, you can always request a campus visit to further gauge company culture and working environment. Many companies offer lunch visits to local intern candidates who have already received offers.
If it’s your last internship before graduation, consider whether this internship will put you in an advantageous position for when you graduate and enter the job market. Be sure to ask about the conversation rate of interns who receive full-time offers, or find out whether the internship will open doors to other opportunities.
Choice is difficult, especially when you don’t have a lot of experience evaluating internship and employment offers. Pick a place where you’ll grow and get new skills. Ask questions during the interview. Make sure the compensation offer works for the location and lifestyle you want. Regardless of where you decide to intern, you’ll emerge with more experience on how to choose an employer.
Hairol Ma is finishing up her last year of school in New York. When overwhelmed with too many ice cream flavors to choose from, she ends up with vanilla.
