Internship vs. Externship: What's the Difference?

Internships and externships both provide opportunities to gain real-world work experience and meet people in your occupation or industry. They may also give you a chance to see how the concepts and theories you're learning in your college courses play out in the workplace. However, the two are distinctly different in terms of expectations.

An internship is an opportunity to develop genuine work experience in some type of organization, usually related to your field of study. Summer internships are often full-time jobs, while semester-long internships are frequently part-time positions. Depending on the nature of the work, you may work on-site or remotely and may be paid for your time.

An internship serves a variety of purposes. First, it's a chance for you to understand how the organization functions and how different roles contribute to achieving its goals. By completing assigned tasks and interacting with co-workers, you'll also work on developing key technical and interpersonal skills. If the internship meets your school's criteria, you'll probably earn academic credit for the experience, and you'll be able to add it to your resume.

If an internship is learning by doing, an externship is learning by observing. In this situation, you'll do something called job shadowing, meaning you follow someone working in the field or type of for-profit business or nonprofit organization you're considering for the future to get a first-hand look at what the job entails. Externships are typically short-term options, lasting anywhere from one day to six or eight weeks.

Although you typically don't earn academic credit or get paid for your time, externships are still valuable career development tools. You'll have a more realistic vision of your future career and possibly identify an area you'd like to specialize in. For example, after completing a computer science externship, you may opt for a concentration in cybersecurity or software development.

Externships also make an impressive addition to your resume by showing prospective employers that you're a dedicated professional.

In graduate school, students are often encouraged or required to serve externships. However, a graduate externship is more like an internship, allowing you to gain hands-on, supervised work experience in your field. They are generally longer — a full summer or semester — and may be part-time or full-time. You may or may not be paid for your work, but you will probably earn college credit.

Whether it's voluntary or required by your school, an internship offers numerous benefits regardless of whether you're paid.

Gaining Work Experience

Interns get an insider's look at an organization. This is your chance to see the big picture — how various departments contribute to meeting goals, how an organization fits into the industry as a whole, and how the industry works.

As part of your job training, you'll also be given specific tasks to complete, which gives you a close-up view of a particular role and work environment. For example, if you're studying human resources and land an internship in an HR department, you may get involved in the hiring process of recruiting, screening, and onboarding job candidates. You'll also learn about other HR functions, such as compensation and benefits, allowing you to decide if you want to be a generalist or a specialist in one of these areas.

Making Professional Connections

As you work at your internship, you'll start to build relationships with your supervisor and others in the organization. These connections with industry professionals can be incredibly valuable to you immediately after graduation and long into the future, as these people may be able to help you secure jobs. As you interact with your co-workers, look for opportunities to show them your interest, dedication, and enthusiasm for your career. One way you can maintain these connections is through LinkedIn, a social media platform for professionals.

Learning From a Mentor

Any one of the people you work with may develop into a mentor. Not only can this person teach you what they've learned about the profession, industry, and specific workplaces, they may help you identify your strengths and skills. If you continue to nurture this relationship, it could continue on long after you've moved on to another position or company.

Enhancing Your Resume

Once you graduate and start submitting your resume to prospective employers, you'll be able to present yourself in a much better light by showing that you already have relevant, professional work experience. You'll be able to list the specific job duties and skills you learned during your internship. If your experience was particularly positive, you might even be offered a full-time job with the organization where you completed your internship.

Externships offer some of the same benefits as internships, although perhaps on a smaller scale. Through the experience, you may make valuable connections with professionals, one of whom could become a mentor. Externships also add credibility to your resume by demonstrating your commitment to your career.