In today's society, we always pursue value for money. However, the worth of some things far exceeds their price tags. For instance, "human resources" like interns. Many university students cherish their internship opportunities immensely and are determined to gain the favor of their leaders through their effort. Yet, many interns quickly realize that they are merely tools for labor within the company, working hard daily only to receive meager compensation.

Why don't these hardworking interns choose to leave? Because in today's job market, nearly all companies check whether job candidates have internship experience when hiring. So, are the hardships endured during internships truly worth it?

Many people know that finding an internship is often the hardest first step. Recalling the journey of finding that first internship might bring a sigh: countless resumes sent with little response, scarce chances for interviews, and solitary tears in times of despair were not uncommon.

To understand the situation, a survey was conducted. Among 2391 people with internship experience or seeking internships, over 60% thought internships were hard to find, and only 2.7% felt it was easy. Common strategies for finding internships included using job-seeking apps, following recruitment websites, and even leveraging personal connections for help. The difficulty of finding internships sometimes forces students to utilize the gray area of paid internships, exchanging money for internship opportunities.

The main reason internships are hard to find is that most people are unaware of which internships suit them best, creating the biggest obstacle. High demands from employers and the lack of sufficient skills also mean the internship journey might end prematurely. For those new to the workforce and without internship experience, the "experience preferred" requirement in job postings sounds like the classic dilemma of "which came first, the chicken or the egg."

From an employer's perspective, it's understandable: not all companies are willing to invest resources to train newcomers. For example, big tech companies tend to recruit interns who can work independently and efficiently right away. After all, who doesn't like inexpensive and handy interns from a boss's point of view?

If you have a clear career plan, relevant field experience or achievements, and can showcase them during an interview, congratulations, you've found the right way to secure an internship opportunity. You might think you can relax after successfully obtaining an offer, but new challenges are on the horizon.

The life of an intern is usually not easy. If you plan to accumulate internship experience from your second or third year of university, you'll need to find a balance between studies and work, living the life of a "busy bee." In our survey, "running errands" became the reality that most interns reluctantly accept. Because of their lack of experience and short internship duration, leaders find it hard to trust them, so they often end up handling miscellaneous tasks like organizing files, printing, and sending and receiving parcels.

The work of interns is often fraught with uncertainty; they may be tasked with buying coffee, arranging boxed lunches, and making runs for afternoon tea, usually these are unpredictable "internship mystery boxes" with hidden tasks. Despite the trivial nature of their work, the pace for interns is not relaxed.

According to related surveys, up to 89.2% of interns have overtime experience, with 1-3 hours of overtime becoming the norm, and more than five hours of overtime is not uncommon. Another key figure in the daily life of an intern not to be overlooked is the Mentor, either the immediate supervisor or an experienced senior colleague. A responsible Mentor can greatly benefit an intern's growth; on the contrary, if a Mentor is accustomed to a hands-off approach, merely assigning tasks without providing guidance, interns have to find their own solutions.

What's more disheartening is that sometimes job descriptions seem glossy and appealing, but the actual internship tasks are vastly different, bordering on fraud in severe cases. Also, inequality exists among interns; some are treated like "unofficial" staff, lacking proper internship certification, and sometimes even face wage arrears and deprivation of their work outcomes. It can be said that the life of an intern is not easier than those who indulge in iced Americano coffee in the morning.

Interns, with their lowly and undervalued status in the professional pecking order, often earn an income that does not match their actual expenses, working hard all day only to struggle to maintain basic living costs. Survey data indicates that 14.6% of interns receive no salary at all, working completely unpaid; while 39.6% receive some form of internship allowance. Even so, the economic pressure remains high in big cities after deducting for rent, transportation, and food expenses, sometimes necessitating family financial support.

A fortunate few choose to intern in their hometowns or university locations, saving a substantial sum on rent and having the chance to enjoy family-provided meals. With careful budgeting, monthly expenses could potentially be kept within the 1000 to 3000 yuan range. However, many interns choose to intern in different cities, and as their wages are insufficient to cover living costs, they often have to cut corners at the end of the month, or even live in suburbs far from the company, experiencing the ordeal of a long commute.

The survey also found that 35.9% of interns spend more than an hour commuting each day, and the aspirational "elite white-collar" life dissipates after the first experience of peak-hour subway crowding. Considering this, is interning really a worthwhile investment?

If the criteria for a job are good pay, light work, and proximity to home, then for interns, these are almost unattainable dreams. In this light, interning might not be a wise choice, which is why 25% of people believe internships are of little value and do little to aid their employment plans. Their reason is that intern work is trivial and repetitive, and the brief internship period prevents them from delving deep into professional services or projects, making it difficult to demonstrate substantial project experience in interviews.

In contrast, 75% of people still believe that internships can enhance job competitiveness. A high-quality internship not only strengthens professional skills but also increases the market sensitivity of applicants, allowing them to have a more mature understanding of the job market, without harboring unrealistic expectations. Even if it's just for "resume padding," it at least proves to human resource managers that one has gone through the first barrier of the workplace and is a potential future warrior of the workforce.

Internships, although they sometimes involve less than satisfactory experiences, are equally a rare opportunity for exploration. They allow us to find out if we truly like and are willing to do this kind of work. Such an experience is undoubtedly extremely valuable.

In fact, many people often feel lost when looking for internships, mainly because they are not sure which positions are most suitable for themselves. This requires us to try, to explore the possibilities for our future careers by interning in different positions and industries. It is only through practice that we can develop and refine our skills in a particular field or position.

"Starting from the basics and gradually advancing" is the ideal way to make the most of internships. To some extent, the process of an internship is like finding a life partner, requiring us to invest a lot of time and effort to communicate and perceive. Facing those insubstantial "jerk" internships, we should cut our losses in time; it is only by forming a successful union with suitable internships that we may achieve a relatively satisfactory outcome.