Dear Melanie,

I need help. I applied for a job for the summer but they took a long time to get back to me about it so I also applied for an internship. The internship is unpaid but would help with my future; the job would help me buy a car. I have gotten offers from both and don’t know which one to take.

-Reader
Dear Reader,

You may be able to take both! Both opportunities would be beneficial so why not get the best of both worlds. As long as both of them aren’t full-time, you should be able to juggle them and still have time for yourself.

Usually internships, especially if they’re unpaid, will have a minimum of hours they need you for and you can tell them your availability. You can do the same thing for your summer job. Just make sure you don’t spread yourself too thin and give yourself time to rest.

If the internship is full-time and the job is part-time or per diem, then you could potentially do your internship Monday through Friday and your job on the weekends. If the job is full-time and the internship is part-time, see how you can make your work schedule work for you.

However, if they’re both full-time, you should go with the internship. The internship will reap long-term benefits while the job will only be good for the summer. Sure, you’ll be able to get some money but try to think about a few years down the road when you could have a full-time job in your field that was facilitated through your internship or be struggling to find a job in your field because of your lack of experience.
Xoxo,
Melanie