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full time position or internship??

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  • 19-08-2015 10:46pm
    #1
    weldo131
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭


    If you had the choice of a full time paying roll for a small company, or an internship for a big company like the ESB with a POSSIBLE job at the end, What would you choose?
    This is the predicament i am facing at the moment and i am in two minds as to what to do.
    If I knew there was a position available at the end of the intern, it would be worth it because they are a well structured company.
    But there is nothing in stone and at the same time it is hard to turn down a paying roll for an internship, I mean I could end up doing the intern and be unemployed 9 months down the road, whereas if i took the job i could of had 9 months of saving for a mortgage(which the misses keeps reminding me about).

    Lads any help or info would be greatly appreciated.
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    #2
    keepkeyyellow
    Registered Users Posts: 705 ✭✭✭keepkeyyellow


    weldo131 wrote: »
    If you had the choice of a full time paying roll for a small company, or an internship for a big company like the ESB with a POSSIBLE job at the end, What would you choose?
    This is the predicament i am facing at the moment and i am in two minds as to what to do.
    If I knew there was a position available at the end of the intern, it would be worth it because they are a well structured company.
    But there is nothing in stone and at the same time it is hard to turn down a paying roll for an internship, I mean I could end up doing the intern and be unemployed 9 months down the road, whereas if i took the job i could of had 9 months of saving for a mortgage(which the misses keeps reminding me about).

    Lads any help or info would be greatly appreciated.


    Is the internship and job both in the same area? Like if I really wanted to do marketing and was offered a marketing internship I'd take it over let's say a general admin role however if I was offered a 9 month internship in marketing with a possibility of a high paying job at the end of it and a job in marketing in a smaller company I'd take the latter because then after 3-4 years you can then move into ESB.

    So what I'm saying is - we kinda need more information.


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    #3
    weldo131
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭weldo131


    Well both jobs are in the same area and both are roughly the same position. The only thing is, an opportunity to work for the bigger company doesn't come around too often. I don't just want experience, I want a career. Thanks for your opinion and advice. That's all im looking for, a second opinion


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    #4
    Stheno
    Moderators, Business & Finance Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators, Social & Fun Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 51,687 Mod ✭✭✭✭Stheno


    weldo131 wrote: »
    Well both jobs are in the same area and both are roughly the same position. The only thing is, an opportunity to work for the bigger company doesn't come around too often. I don't just want experience, I want a career. Thanks for your opinion and advice. That's all im looking for, a second opinion

    Is the bigger company really the ESB?


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    #5
    Divisadero
    Registered Users Posts: 311 ✭✭Divisadero


    Well I shall nail my colours to the mast and say I am against internships which I see as exploitative and am a little surprised at how quickly they seem to have become embedded in this country.

    But back to you! It is hard to give detailed advice without more info but here are a couple of thoughts. Firstly big isn't always better but even if that is the case with your (internship) company it is as you say a gamble to work for a year for little or nothing. You may bend over backwards to impress your prospective dream employer but may fail to do so. Or even if you do very well there is still no guarantee of being offered an actual position due to factors outside your control.

    If you work for the smaller company you will be paid for your efforts and you may even grow to like the firm and be happy there. Also consider this you could you use this smaller company to gain real experience in your chosen field (whilst receiving a proper salary and enjoying a decent standard of living). Then if you still wish to work for the larger company or even one of their competitors perhaps you could apply for an actual job (not an internship) with them in a year or two having gained paid experience in the smaller company. You might then avoid having to go down the internship route completely yet still achieve your goal.

    Could this be a realistic option for you?


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    #6
    Amirani
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 12,521 Mod ✭✭✭✭Amirani


    Most internships in Ireland are paid and aren't exploitative.


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    #7
    Rachiee
    Registered Users Posts: 880 ✭✭✭Rachiee


    How scarce are real jobs on the ground in your chosen field. if you did take the internship and the company weren't interested in hiring you after the 9 months would it be easy enough for you to find a proper job? Considering you've been offered the internship and a job elsewhere it's likely you have good interview skills and if you are already desirable without this experience even if it doesn't work out you may be able to land on your feet anyway.
    If it's a company you really really want to work for our if it's a company that's very well respected in your chosen field id go for the internship.
    Also Is there any way of finding out how often they hire their interns? if they get two/three a year and never hire any of them then that's exploitation just walk. However if it's more like I graduate programme where people have been hired from in the past go for it.


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    #8
    RossieMan
    Registered Users Posts: 6,766 ✭✭✭RossieMan


    Jobsbridge internships - no, pure exploitation. Perhaps paid ones are different.


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    #9
    NicoleW85
    Registered Users Posts: 484 ✭✭NicoleW85


    I started a WPP2 placement through FAS in 2011 and had the same hopes - that I might be offered a job at the end.
    About 2 months in, when I was doing 39 hours a week for less than 200 euro, the department line manager told me that as happy as they were with my work, there was no money in the budget to offer me even part time employment at the end of the 9 months.
    It was going ok and I had adopted the attitude of "it's all experience " from day one but there came a point where I began to feel exploited. I then started to hate it. Thankfully a paying job became available in a different department and I was chosen for that.
    For your own sanity don't do it. Unless you have a guarantee of work at the end.


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    #10
    Mrs OBumble
    Registered Users Posts: 25,714 ✭✭✭✭Mrs OBumble


    Just because it's in a bigger company doesn't make it better. Possibly it even means that you will be stuck in a smaller specialist role with less variety than you'd get in a small company.

    Unless the internship is paid (or offering you some other tangible benefit), then I'd say it's a no-brainer to take the paid job.


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    #11
    vector
    Registered Users Posts: 1,756 ✭✭✭vector


    "A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush"

    To the OP I say: Take the PAID job,
    the internship probably isin't paid? is it? and even if it is theres no guarantee of a job at the end.

    Incidentally, having been accustomed to JobBridge I didn't realise there was such a thing as a paid internship until just now!


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    #12
    Divisadero
    Registered Users Posts: 311 ✭✭Divisadero


    Some pay. But it is well below what you would be paid as a regular employee. The way I see it either way an intern is being exploited. The company (I hesitate to use the term employer) though gets free or cheap labour. So there is indeed one winner in all of this.

    Anyway we are going off topic and I'm sure this has been debated ad nauseam in the past elsewhere on Boards.


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    #13
    weldo131
    Registered Users Posts: 7 ✭weldo131


    Well with the internship I will get 240 a week. The job position will be about 390/400 a week. About being exploited I don't think this is the case here because they are going to put a lot of time, effort and training in me. And it will take a few months training before im of any value to the big company.
    Im leaning towards the internship right now. I would be just sick if they don't take me on after turning down a paid position. Like I said before, I don't just want experience, I want a career, but at the same time I am willing to take a risk. Thanks for the advice lads. Head is melted


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    #14
    Lux23
    Registered Users Posts: 7,134 ✭✭✭Lux23


    weldo131 wrote: »
    Well with the internship I will get 240 a week. The job position will be about 390/400 a week. About being exploited I don't think this is the case here because they are going to put a lot of time, effort and training in me. And it will take a few months training before im of any value to the big company.
    Im leaning towards the internship right now. I would be just sick if they don't take me on after turning down a paid position. Like I said before, I don't just want experience, I want a career, but at the same time I am willing to take a risk. Thanks for the advice lads. Head is melted


    Well I can understand why you might opt for the internship then, will you be able to stay at home and what will your transport costs be like?


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