Internships can be a big deal. They offer valuable life and work experience, lend new perspectives, and can even change your entire future plans. But not all internships are created equal.
In the modern world, internships aren’t as simple as sitting at the back of crowded office spaces for a week. Companies like us, Sage Corps, understand that these can be massively affecting experiences. So we strive to find you places at startups where you can be actively involved in the day-to-day processes of a fledgling company.
Our overseas options obviously turn heads – who doesn’t like the idea of working in Paris for a summer? But we also know that it’s just not possible for everyone and that we can take advantage of modern technology to reap all the internship benefits without even leaving your bedroom.
But how to decide? Here’s our take on the pros and cons of both internships abroad and virtually.
Group excursion with Sage Corps interns in Santiago
INTERNING ABROAD
There’s a fair chance you don’t need convincing that interning abroad for the summer is a good idea. Whatever city you choose, a potentially life-changing experience is in front of you.
Pro: Interning at a startup is a unique professional experience
We’ll start with the nitty-gritty that your parents will be most pleased with. You’re interning in person at a startup in another country. What an experience! Startups offer unparalleled opportunities for young interns.
At a smaller company, you’re part of the team. Sure you might go in with an eye to work on your understanding of sales, but when you arrive for work one morning R&D could use some help. The next week, tech support wants to show you how the backend of the whole operation works, but then you’re pulled into a client meeting with the CFO that afternoon. You’re getting your teeth into every aspect of how young businesses function and grow. That kind of experience can’t be replicated anywhere but the thick of it. And that kind of exposure helps guide so many towards jobs they really want in the future.
Pro: You get to travel to amazing places
Of course, you’re going to be in a new city halfway across the world. Dublin, Paris, Berlin, Sydney, Buenos Aires…the list goes on. Waking up and walking to the office past the Eiffel Tower. Grabbing a pint in an Irish pub after the workday. Midweek tango classes in Argentina maybe?
Sage Corps interns exploring Amsterdam
Pro: You’ll get a taste of true independence
We all stand to gain so much from travel. There are few better ways to build a true understanding of independence than stepping out into the world yourself, and an internship abroad gifts that beautifully. You’ll be staying with other Sage Corps interns, letting you form bonds that can last a lifetime. Your weekends spent exploring your temporary homes will create memories you’ll treasure. Trust us, friendships built while traveling burn very quickly and don’t leave you easily.
Pro: It’ll help you build a picture for you future
Working in a foreign country can be transformative for your future, too. Getting to see the priorities of other places, whether that’s work-life balance, professional habits, city infrastructure, or local traditions, can help you gauge what matters most to you in the future. Your first job after college might want you to work 60 hours a week. Your time in Berlin showed you how important your own time is, and you know that’s not for you anymore. Knowledge is happiness, and knowledge is only gained through experience.
Don’t mention new foods, new friends, bucket list trips, cultural experiences, amazing new cities, and new languages to try. Do we need to continue?
For the sake of fairness, we’ll give you both sides of the equation. Interning abroad is an unbelievable experience, but it does have a few downsides to consider.
Con: It can be pricey
Firstly, the elephant in the room – money. There’s no way something like this can happen without some cost. We have loads of options to help with financing, but for some, the financial burden might just be too much to take the leap. We’d love to have everyone able to do it, but it’s just not going to be possible for everyone. Make sure you talk with your parents or whoever could be helping you, to discuss what’s reasonable for you. Some cities are more expensive than others, and your finances might dictate how much extra fun you can have while there.
Con: Competition is high
Secondly, we only have a set amount of spots abroad. There is the chance that you might not get your first choice city even if your application is successful. Competition is real, so make sure you get started as early as possible.
INTERNING VIRTUALLY
Sometimes, it’s just not possible to go abroad for a summer. There are a million reasons why a virtual internship would be the right decision for you, and in some cases might even be a better choice! So if you can’t or don’t want to intern abroad, here’s why you’re still making a brilliant decision.
Pro: You’re still getting an amazing working experience
Straight off the bat, you’re still reaping the same intern-based benefits that our interns abroad are getting. You’re still working for a startup, you’ll still have the opportunity to work in different aspects of the business, and you’ll still leave with a sense of accomplishment. Again, completely different from the antiquated notions of internships.
Virtual interns are still being exposed to so much invaluable information, and they might even be getting a leg up on the competition. COVID has drastically changed the way the world functions, and remote working isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. Learning how to function effectively in that environment is going to be an important skill moving forward.
Pro: It’s hugely flexible and much cheaper
Logistically, virtual internships can be hugely beneficial. The programs are much cheaper since you’ll have no added living expenses, so the financial burden is greatly lessened. If you’ve already got some commitments like a summer job, you can still work around it. Life doesn’t stop, and many of our interns who head abroad have to give things up for a period of time to make it possible.
Pro: It can give you the leg up for going abroad later
That’s not to say going abroad is off the cards for virtual interns. The relationships formed and experience gained in a virtual program might lead to some opportunities further down the road. Making yourself valuable and part of a team from across the world might put you at the top of the list for the same company if they want an in-person intern later on.
Pro: There’s so many more places available
Competition isn’t as high either. With no physical places to allot, we have no limits on where we can place virtual interns. It might mean an even more specific placement is possible, getting you the best possible experience for your internship.
The cons are obvious for virtual internships. There is a barrier. Although working remotely serves as a wonderful experience, especially in today’s climate, interns can miss out on the interactions and peculiarities of living abroad that help make it truly transformative.
Con: You’re only getting one piece of the puzzle
We mentioned that living and working in another country offers more than just an understanding of a job. It lends to a bigger picture, a more complete puzzle that we all have to piece together over time. Interns abroad are given a glimpse of a completely different life, having their ideas and preconceptions of work and life challenged on a daily basis. The potential for growth as a person is limited if closing a laptop pauses the experience. Our interns abroad finish work and step out into some of the world’s greatest cities.
Con: You’re not getting to experience the world
At its most basic level, missing out on the beauty of travel is maybe the hardest pill to swallow. Our interns abroad are never just going for the work. They’re going to see a new corner of the planet. They’re going to taste new things, meet new people, and try new ways of living. It’s almost a guarantee they’re not going to come home the same.
Whatever your decision (abroad OR virtual) a Sage Corps internship offers an unparalleled glimpse into the world of business that will help guide your own future and set you miles apart from the crowd. Request info or start your application.
