Am I still eligible for internships now that I've graduated college?

Question

I've just graduated from a liberal arts school. I have little work experience, but excellent academic credentials. I'm more interested in gaining experience through an internship rather than pursuing full-time employment. When an internship states "undergraduate candidate" or "graduate candidate" under applicants' qualifications, does this mean you must be a student enrolled in an academic institution? Or am I still eligible for such interships?

I'd be willing to work for little, if anything. I'm more interested in experience.

Answer 1

This depends on how the internship is structured, and actually, you would do better with a paid than with an unpaid internship, as counter-intuitive as this might sound. The problem is that companies aren't allowed to have people working for them who aren't paid; that is called slavery. They get around this by hiring students and calling it an internship, saying that the students are "paid" in the form of course credits (you usually can't take an unpaid internship without course credit, even when you are a student), even though it is obviously the school, and not the company, which gives the course credits. Also, companies rely upon the fact that you are a student to avoid having to pay for worker's compensation insurance for you. If you are injured on the job as an intern, they can claim that you weren't, in fact, an employee, but a student doing a course assignment, so the party who would be responsible for paying for you would be your university.

Paid internships are different, because you are clearly an employee. Therefore, once a company pays you, it is only a matter of personal preference which determines whether or not they will hire you even if you aren't in school. Some organizations specifically want to help out students, but others just want access to try out potential employees, and the fact that you aren't in school makes you available to work longer hours, which may be an advantage.

Answer 2

you have been working so problematical - between your activity and school - for see you later that i understand taking over the rest might desire to experience like too plenty, particularly on appropriate of a senior's artwork load. you experience caught because of the fact which you already know what you will possibly be able to desire to do yet are not doing it. Make a catalogue of places to touch approximately volunteering and make your self touch one in all them at present. day after today touch one greater. as long as you're chatting with somebody on a daily basis and you're in forward action, you're doing something. in case you will come across a job on your field between commencement and grad college, that is great. besides the indisputable fact that, while you're in basic terms out of faculty between December and August that may not be functional. For now, talk approximately doing an internship formerly you graduate and including some volunteer artwork. the two fo those issues will make your applications for grad college superior. you're doing wonderful!

Answer 3

Generally you have to be enrolled. Probably has to do with Federal Wage and Hour and State Wage and Hour rules.

Working for FREE is illegal, but working for course credit is a wavier issue.

Answer 4

look into finding post-graduation internships. they are offered out there, just have to go looking for them. check out monster.com to look them up. there are a few articles about them as well.

Answer 5

I would call the contact person and explain your situation. There's no harm in asking if you can still apply - the worst they could say is no and if they do then its their lost.