Leaving an internship mid-term?

Career Opportunities & Internships
1

<p>A few weeks ago, I started a spring semester unpaid government internship in DC. As a recent graduate of a top university with several competitive past internships already under my belt, I applied to spring internships only after a fruitless six-month long entry level job search. I was concerned about having too substantial of an employment gap and reasoned that it was better to take another unpaid internship than to risk structural unemployment.</p>

<p>To my surprise, I received an offer on Friday from one of my top-choice employers who interviewed me more than two months ago and who I assumed had filled the position with someone else because they never followed up with me or returned my calls. I have until Thursday to accept or decline their offer.</p>

<p>My family and close friends think that I should leave the internship...that it's a no-brainer. But I feel kind of bad because I just started and the office has had a hard time filling all of their internship positions for the term. I did commit to work until May 16th. My supervisor has been very positive and complimentary about the work I have given so far, but I personally don't feel like I'm a very good fit for the office or the work...and well, money's tight.</p>

<p>Would it be wrong to leave or would I be crazy to stick it out through May?</p>

2

<p>A paid job trumps unpaid internship on any given day. </p>

<p>You should give a few days notice to hand over the work to someone else but otherwise it is not a moral dilemma. People quit paid jobs to take a better job every day and this is no different.</p>

3

<p>I’d say quit the internship (obviously, professionally and respectfully) and take the paid job. If they ask for reason, I would just be honest. They’ll understand you taking a paid job over an unpaid internship. It happens more than you would think.</p>

4

<p>Agree with the two posters above. Pay > No pay. Congratulations on getting an offer, by the way!</p>