Externship vs. Internship: What's the Difference?

“Should I complete an internship program or an externship program?” It’s a common question, especially given that people often use the terms interchangeably.

As you might have guessed, the two positions are far from identical. While both internships and externships give students insight into the professional world, they differ in several important ways. 

To help you understand the externship vs. internship nuances, we’ll be investigating the two terms in detail.

Externships Explained

The simplest way to think of an externship is as an extended shadowing opportunity. Externships are rarely participatory; instead, externs observe a mentor as they complete their daily responsibilities. With that said, externs are not exempt from putting in work when it’s needed.

As a college student, your school’s career center or Office of Career Development can usually help you find an experiential learning opportunity like this. You may be able to find alternative avenues through external organizations or colleagues.

Internships Explained

So, what is an internship then? Interns are essentially junior employees who receive exposure to an entry-level role in their industry of choice. Under the guidance of a seasoned employee or department, an intern will (among other things):

• Handle requests
• Complete daily tasks
• Participate in meetings

If internship experience is required for you to graduate, you can generally find one through your college or university’s career services department or office. They can help you by providing you with internship cover letter examples and common internship interview questions. Many businesses also list internship opportunities you can find for yourself online.

Breaking Down the Differences

While the terms internship and externship aren’t interchangeable, the concepts have a similar goal of providing real-world knowledge and experience. The takeaway is that one is not necessarily better than the other; they’re just different.

To illustrate this point, let’s compare externships and internships point by point.

Daily Responsibilities

As mentioned, an extern is mostly present to watch and learn. While they may need to lend a hand here or there, their training is more of an overview than a deep dive, so responsibilities are typically minimal for an extern.

On the other hand, interns perform various tasks relevant to their role and career field. To an outside observer, an intern may be somewhat difficult to discern from a full-time employee.

Duration

Externships can be as short as a single day or as long as eight weeks according to Indeed. More often than not, they last for one week or less. Due to the relatively short nature of externships, motivated students can complete several of them in quick succession, adding a variety of insights and experiences to their resume.

Internships are much longer, typically spanning from a month to a year. Interns commonly work throughout an entire summer or for the duration of their semester. The advantage of a lengthier program is the opportunity to learn the ins and outs of a role with a company, and to develop new skill sets.

Payment

Because externs are generally short-term passive observers, they rarely receive payment for their time.

Conversely, internships can be done on a voluntary basis, for college credit, or for a monetary payment. According to a survey of 266 employers by the National Association for Colleges and Employers (NACE), “the average hourly wage for interns is $20.76.”

While the chance to earn money makes internships seem like the more appealing choice, there’s a catch: they require considerably more effort than externships. If you’re applying to work as an intern, be prepared to work.