Getting Experience with Micro-Internships and Gigs

Have you heard the terms “micro-internship” and “gig” more recently? These short-term, professional experiences can occur any time of the year. They are usually specific projects with a fixed deadline and payment amount. You can find both large corporations and small start ups posting micro-internships and gigs.

What are the benefits?

While these experiences don’t replace a traditional co-op or internship, they do offer a chance to show your qualifications, build your skills, explore career paths, and develop professional networks. Many of them are also available remotely, so you won't have to worry about a long commute! Have you ever felt that if you could just get an internship, you’d prove how hard you work? This could be your chance. Parker Dewey, a micro-internship platform, reports that some of their company clients use micro-internships as part of their recruitment strategy. That means your gig could potentially be an audition for a future role!

How does it work?

To get started, create a complete profile and review details, deadline, and payment for available assignments. Continue to check the platform regularly. Once you find an interesting project, submit your application as soon as possible, as some micro-internships can be highly competitive. 

During the application process you are asked to type your responses to several company-specific questions. Since there are no in-person interviews, giving a complete response is very important. When selected, you’ll work directly with the company to finish your project and (hopefully) exceed their expectations!

What types of projects are available?

Companies post a diverse set of projects, depending on their business and need. Opportunities include data clean-up and extraction, analytics, website development, digital marketing, and content creation--just to name a few. Visit Parker Dewey's website for a list of some example micro-internships.

Where do I find these micro-internships/ gigs?

There are several micro-internship and gig providers, including Parker Dewey, Upwork, and Guru. Each of the platform's processes may function slightly different from one another.

• Recommended: Parker Dewey: Ohio State’s career services community has reviewed and approved Parker Dewey. As a Career Launcher, you will have the opportunity to apply to micro-internships in data analytics, web development, report generation, and more. Learn more about Parker Dewey's micro-internships offered and their company.

If you're looking for a way to get some experience and get paid, this could be an option for you! As with all opportunities posted on third party resources, use your discretion when applying to a job posting or interacting with a potential employer. If you are suspicious or unsure, contact Engineering Career Services at eng-ecs@osu.edu.

"The only source of knowledge is experience." - Albert Einstein