Externship vs Internship: A Detailed Comparison Guide

Want to get some industry-relevant experience before you jump into hunting for your first job?

Internships and externships are great opportunities to gain experience in your desired field. But what’s the difference between them? And which one should you pick?

Externships offer a more generalized skill set that can be applied to many different environments, while internships provide training in a company-specific environment.

So if you want to learn about how things work from the inside out, an internship is probably best for you. On the other hand, if you’re looking for something with less commitment or need some general experience, an externship might be better suited for your needs.

Let’s dive deep for a detailed comparison between externship vs internship so that you can make the best decision for your career path. Keep reading to find out more!

Internship

An internship is a job that provides training and experience in a particular field. They usually last for a set period, such as three months or six months, and are often unpaid internships. Companies or organizations often offer them to college students or recent graduates.

Internship programs provide a way for high school students to learn about their specific career fields. They also give employers a way to evaluate potential employees and decide if they would be a good fit for a particular position.

Most internships are offered through programs at universities, while others are provided by companies directly. In addition, many internship websites list internships available in various career fields.

So, if you’re looking for an opportunity to gain experience and knowledge in a particular field, an internship may be the right choice for you. Just make sure you do your research and find an internship that is a good fit for your skills and interests.

Duties

Interns are usually given duties in line with their field of study. For example, an intern in the marketing field may be responsible for conducting market research, writing reports, and creating marketing plans. Meanwhile, an intern in the accounting field may be responsible for bookkeeping, preparing invoices, and recording financial transactions.

Related: 7 Functions of Marketing

Benefits

The benefits of an internship include gaining practical work experience, developing new skillsets, and networking. In addition, internships are a great way to learn more about the industry you are interested in and see if it’s the right fit for you. Internships also allow you to connect with professionals who may help you in your future career endeavors. Additionally, internships can lead to full-time employment after graduation. Externships, however, do not typically result in a full-time job.

Externship

An externship is where you apply in the field of your choice, and it provides you with good experience to help you in future jobs. Externships are usually arranged through the school you’re attending. An externship is a great way to learn about your future career choices and allows students to explore various options without being tied down with employment requirements. In addition, it provides the opportunity for work experience in your desired field of work.

Duties

The externship duties vary depending on the company and position, but typically they will involve job shadowing or assisting a full-time employee in their job duties. Externs are not expected to have all the answers and learn as much as possible. They may also be asked to do administrative work, such as filing or answering phones. Externship programs are a great way to get your foot in the door and learn about different companies.

Benefits

Externships help build your resume with real-world experience. In addition, the experience can be used as proof of knowledge for future job applications.

An externship provides you with the opportunity to learn about a professional career path in greater detail than is possible through classroom study alone.

Externships are great opportunities to network and make valuable connections within your chosen profession that may prove helpful later on down the road when it comes time to look for a job.

Some externship programs offer students the chance to receive college credit, which can help reduce the cost of obtaining a degree.

Types of externships

There are a few different types of externships: academic, clinical, and research.

• An academic externship is a great way to gain experience in the field of study that you’re interested in. You’ll get to work closely with professors and professionals in the field, and you’ll learn a lot of valuable information.
• A clinical externship allows an opportunity to get hands-on experience in a healthcare setting. You’ll be able to work directly with patients, and you’ll learn a lot about the medical profession.
• Research externships are an excellent way to learn about the research process. You’ll work with researchers to develop new projects, and you’ll learn about how research is conducted.

Short-Term Externships

Short-term externships usually last for a few weeks or a couple of months. These are usually summer internships, and they provide students with an opportunity to learn about a particular field or company. They can also help students decide if they want to pursue a career in that field.

Most short-term externships are unpaid, but some may offer a stipend. Students should research the options available to them and compare the benefits of each externship program before making a decision.

Graduate Externships 

Graduate externships are similar to internship programs but designed specifically for graduate students. Graduate externships are longer-term internships during a graduate student’s final year of school. They are typically paid employees and may even lead to full-time employment following graduation.

Graduate externs usually work for 20 to 40 hours per week, sometimes receiving college credit and compensation for their time. In addition, it is possible to gain experience with companies in various industries through graduate externships, making them a great way to explore different career fields.

There are many benefits to participating in a graduate externship program. First and foremost, it allows college students to gain real-world experience in their desired career field. Graduate externs can also build relationships with professionals who may help them land a job following graduation.

Comparison: How do they differ?

There are many factors to consider when it comes to deciding between an externship vs internship. Both internships and externships have unique benefits that will help you grow as a professional, so you can’t go wrong with either one. The key is to choose the option that aligns best with your goals and interests while also considering what each has to offer. Here are some significant differences:

Duties

The duties in internships are not too difficult to handle. The externship, on the other hand, is more challenging. It helps you gain skills that can be applied to different environments. It is a shorter program, lasting only a few weeks. The internship is open-ended, usually lasting longer. During the externship, you will learn how to handle specific tasks in an organization, whereas interns receive training in a company-specific environment. This is something that externs pick up more generalized skillsets that can be applied to many different environments.

Pay & college credit

If you are working in an internship, there is usually some form of payment that comes with the internship. Pay can vary greatly depending on the company and its financial situation. However, there also may be the requirement for academic credit hours, depending on how many college credits you need to get your degree. Externships, however, do not always receive pay or credit hours.

This is something to consider when deciding if an externship or internship is the right choice for you. If you need to make money and cannot afford to work without pay, then an internship may be a better option. However, if you are okay with not receiving any monetary compensation but want class credit hours, externships would be better.

Experience

The experience you will gain from externships is much more generalized than what you receive from internships. In addition, externships are short-term programs, so your time there is limited, and you may not be able to dive as deep into company culture or specific job functions as you would with an internship. Externships also do not always require that you have any previous work experience.

Internships, on the other hand, are open-ended and usually last longer. This allows interns to understand the company, its culture, and specific job functions. Interns can often take on more responsibilities while working with the company. Externships, therefore, are an excellent choice for those who are looking to gain practical work experience rather than just classroom-based learning.

Duration

Externships typically have a shorter duration than internships, lasting only six weeks. Externships also lack the formal training that many internships provide in a company-specific environment since externs pick up more generalized skillsets that can be applied to many different environments.

Internships are open-ended and usually last for 12 weeks or longer. Interns receive training in a company-specific environment, while externs pick up more generalized skillsets that can be applied to many different environments. So, which one should you pick? It depends on what you’re looking for. An internship would be better if you want formal training in a specific area or need to gain more work experience. However, if you are okay with not receiving any monetary compensation but want school credit hours, externships would be better.

Company size

The company size you will experience in an externship varies greatly. Externships can be found at both small and large companies, but the majority of them are offered through small businesses. Externships at large companies are typically provided to those who have already completed an externship or internship.

On the other hand, internships are most commonly found at large companies. This is because internships provide training in a company-specific environment, and larger companies tend to have more resources that they can use to train interns. Externships, therefore, are an excellent choice for those who are looking to gain practical work experience rather than just classroom-based learning.

Related: Departmentalization

How can college students job find an opportunity?

If possible, look for programs through your school’s career center. Many schools have programs that students can apply for, and the career center will help you find an opportunity that works with your schedule.

Finally, if no opportunities exist through your school or campus, try searching online. There are many websites where you can search internships by location or field of study. Signup on LinkedIn to see what opportunities are available. Start applying and contact different companies in your industry; you will be able to find an opportunity that fits your skills.

How to choose?

There are several things to consider when choosing an internship or externship.

1. Duration of the program (will it fit your schedule?)
2. Location (Do you want to stay in town? Or do you need to go home on weekends?)
3. Program type (unpaid internship vs. paid)
4. Company or industry (Do you have a specific company or industry in mind?)
5. Eligibility requirements (Are you eligible to participate?)
6. Accommodations (Will you need to find your housing? Or will the program provide accommodations?)
7. Costs (Will you have to pay for travel? Housing? Food?)
8. Application process (How long will it take to apply?)
9. Deadline (When is the deadline for applications?)
10. Program start date (When does the program start?)

Final thoughts 

An internship would be better if you have a particular industry in mind and are looking for training. On the other hand, if you need to gain more work experience but don’t want any formal training or money as payment, then externships may be your best bet. In either case, you must do some research beforehand so that you can find something that fits with what you’re looking for! 

There are several things to consider when choosing between internships and externship programs, including the cost of lodging/housing, location preferences (in town vs. at home), application process & deadline date.

Let us know if this guide helped you share it so other students can learn about the difference between externship vs internship!