All internships are not created equal: Job design, satisfaction, and vocational development in paid and unpaid internships

Abstract

This manuscript theorizes difference in the work structure of paid and unpaid internships and its influence on intern job satisfaction and vocational development. Specifically, we draw upon theories from human resource management and volunteerism to argue why unpaid internships might exhibit less job structure than paid internships, and how this possibly influences the experiences of interns. As internships continue to be performed by a mix of paid and unpaid workers and as the proportion of unpaid interns steadily increases, it becomes ever important to understand how mainstream workplace concepts such as job design apply to workers who do not receive monetary compensation for their labor. We offer several testable propositions concerning unpaid interns and discuss implications for theory and practice.