8.1.1. Internship Duration Tradeoffs
Internships usually come in 4 or 3-month chunks, depending on whether your school uses quarters, semesters, or trimesters. For simplicity, I’ll just refer to internships in 4-month blocks—but the same ideas apply either way.
It’s pretty common to see internships stretch anywhere from 4 months (1 term) to 16 months (4 terms). And there are real tradeoffs depending on what you choose.
Why You Should Start with 4 Month Internships
I think the best default strategy is to always start by signing on for 4 months especially when it's your first internship.
If the job turns out to be a bad fit, you’re done in 4 months and can move on. But if you like it, you can usually extend or come back in a future term—assuming you’ve done a good job.
Imagine signing on for a 16-month internship, only to realize after a few weeks that the company isn’t a good fit.
With how competitive internships are, it's also likely your first internship will be at a company you’re not super excited about.
As soon as you start getting experience you can use it as leverage for applying to better companies in the next term. By signing on for a shorter internship, you can change jobs more frequently and build a stronger resume over time.
Why You Might Consider Longer Internships
Longer internships are often recommended because they let you take on more responsibility and work on more interesting projects. And that’s true.
But unless you’re already confident the company is a great fit, I don’t think that tradeoff is worth it.
If it’s not a place you care about, it’s usually better to aim for shorter internships and treat them as stepping stones—ways to build your skills, your options, and your leverage over time.
Obviously when you're just looking for your first internship, you might not have the luxury of being picky. But if you do have options, I recommend starting with a 4-month internship and then using that experience to apply to better companies in the next term.
More Benefits of Shorter Internships
If you lock into a 16-month internship at a fixed rate, you lose the opportunity to jump between companies and pick up salary bumps along the way.
Shorter internships also give you leverage. You can renegotiate your salary when you return, or look for something higher-paying elsewhere.
On top of that, there’s a huge advantage in trying out multiple workplaces. Every company you work for is a new network, a new reference, and a potential job option after graduation.
You don’t want to finish school with just one job offer on the table—especially if that company ends up with a hiring freeze or no headcount. That’s a single point of failure.