Internships are periods where graduate students get temporary work experience. This could be a particular organization with an extended period, usually three to six months. Once the internship period is over, the student can get employment in the same organization, the government, or other companies. 

Today, the job market is quite competitive. Attaining appropriate work experience is a benefit that adds value to your resume. The job marketplace is shifting due to many reasons. For instance, the Covid pandemic made it challenging for undergraduates to get work experience. Thus, online internships are becoming popular with the help of technological advances. 

Virtual or remote internships entail working from home to get experience while studying. Yet, if you have a work assignment and a research paper to complete with a tight deadline, you can turn to a professional. An expert from skillhub.com may offer you writing assistance with a resume objective for your future work.

All you need is a PC or laptop and a stable Internet connection. Attending a virtual internship may sound exciting. But it also has some downsides.

Read on to find out the pros and cons of virtual internships.

Pros

Here are the advantages of virtual internships:

Location

Virtual internships occur remotely. This means any student from any location in the world can attend. If you are pursuing a bachelor’s degree at the University of Chicago, you can work in a marketing company in Paris right from the comfort of your home. Or become a social media strategist while relaxing on your couch. With online internships, location is not an issue. As long as you have a good Internet connection, meet the required hours, and deliver all assignments effectively.

The opportunity to work in companies abroad grows your network. Also, it boosts your chances of landing lucrative employment after graduation.

Flexibility

Another significant benefit of a virtual internship is the flexibility of work hours. Even if you have a master’s degree, you don’t have to work the standard 9-5 hours. Usually, companies allow students to select their convenient hours as long as they meet the set deadlines. For instance, the requirement can be working 30-40 hours per week, depending on the task at hand. Thus, if you want to study while working, no one will be on your neck as long as you deliver the assigned work on time.

Moreover, you can agree with your supervisor to work within your schedule. You don’t have to change your class attendance because of work. Also, you can sit an exam during the day and complete an internship project at night. Your academic performance is still important even while working remotely.

Independence 

Virtual internships promote student independence. With their help one needs to learn how to work without supervision. You can work freely at your convenience, meet all your deadlines and embrace personal productivity. There will be no annoying bosses who check up on your progress after every twenty minutes. 

Thus, independence allows students to be creative. They can work with less anxiety, and increase productivity. What’s interesting is that late working hours don’t apply since you control your schedule. No matter the degree course, virtual internships encourage responsibility. Besides, they stimulate personal initiative to complete work assignments. Moreover, colleges for journalists encourage the students to apply to virtual internships worldwide. These are mostly students who understand and value independent work.

Learn New Skills

With online internships, you can learn new skills that a conventional office internship does not offer. Interpersonal communication, organizational skills, imploring self-initiative, and time management. These are constituents of developing an effective employee.

Moreover, you will improve your self-drive without outside influence. This is especially helpful in your future career. Virtual internships help you shape your thinking because they help you begin your career.

Affordable

An office-based internship is quite expensive since it comes with extra costs. You need to buy office wear, commute to work. You also need to take care of accommodation, meal allowance, and other things. If you secure an internship in a large city, the expenses rise automatically. Conversely, virtual internships are cost-effective and will save extra cash if the company pays an intern stipend.

Cons

Here are the disadvantages of virtual internships:

Disconnection

Online internships don’t have human interaction since you work alone in a remote location. Interns communicate with their supervisors through emails, zoom meetings, or phone calls, but never in person. Thus, you may feel detached from the organization. That's because you can’t meet colleagues and attend company events. This means you can't get first-hand professional experience.

Miscommunication 

Virtual internships rely on communication through emails, phone calls, and video-conferencing. If you are not organized, the chances of miscommunication are high. You may fail to get the concept of the assigned task or ask the wrong questions. Misinterpretations often occur in online internships. That's because of the indirect communication resulting in unproductive work.

Too Many Distractions

Remote work entails more time spent on your computer with an Internet connection. If you are not disciplined enough, you might fall into the temptation of browsing unnecessary websites. Connecting with friends on social media, streaming a movie, and pointless research. All of these might distract you from achieving your work goals. Working from home has many distractions that can affect your work productivity.

Lack of Networks

Virtual internships limit students to create strong networks that can assist them in their career path. An office-based internship allows you to meet with many people in different professions. But with remote working, lack of community networking is what might prevent you from reaching your greatest potential.

Requires Discipline

Online internships require self-motivation and discipline to achieve productivity. Planning and time management help students to become effective workers in virtual internships. If you have to be pushed to work, then a virtual internship may not work for you. You must have the self-drive and unending discipline. This will help you avoid all distractions while putting your best foot forward in your work.

Today, virtual internships are popular, unique, and new in the job market. They are different from the traditional on-site internship in many ways. Remote working allows students to gain experience from anywhere in the world. Higher education institutions highly praise online internships and encourage more students to try. You can work in your dream company without visiting their physical office. It is a life-changing experience since you cultivate self-discipline, personal initiative. It is also a motivation to work without direct supervision. Flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and independence are some of the upsides of attending remote internships.

Though it is a great experience, you must also consider your course requirements and needs. If it aligns with your degree program, you can try it out. If not, select other alternatives. Whatever you decide, any internship opportunity will jumpstart your career positively.